08/15/2024
HOW I GREW UP!!!
I grew up on the East Side of Erie, PA. We were a tightknit community. I can still name most of the families that lived on the block! All parents were OUR parents. When we went outside to play, we got dirty. Thus, we ate bologna (cold or fried), peanut butter & jelly, grilled cheese sandwiches, pork-n-beans & hot dogs and we all drank kool-aid. We had a home cooked meal every night and breakfast every morning. My mother screamed our names to come and turn the channel on the TV or bring her a glass of ice water, LOL! We listened to Oldies music via 8-Track tape, records or am radio. You took your school clothes off as soon as you got home and put on your play clothes. We had gym class Monday-Friday. The girls participated & wore those gym suits. Most TVs were black/white, but some had color. All stations went off at midnight after the playing the national anthem, until about 5 or 6 a.m. We ate $.01 candy. Yes, I said, "$.01". Candy & bubble gum cost that much back then. Mike & Ike's, Lemonheads, Chico Sticks, Boston Baked Beans, Jolly Ranchers etc. We went to the parks and playgrounds to play. We went to the skating ring on Saturday night. We played Freeze Tag, Red Light Green Light, Hop Scotch, Hide & Seek, Red Rover, Truth or Dare, Softball⚾️, Kickball⚽️, Dodgeball, touch football, Throw Up Tackle Football🏈, roller skate, and rode bikes🚴♂️ all over the neighborhood. The boys collected baseball/football cards, marbles & comic books. We read those books, not put them in plastic. Girls spent hours playing double dutch, jump rope, jack stones, and softballand football with the boys. We literally would line up and race for fun up and down the block! Staying in the house was a punishment, and the only thing we knew about "bored", was board games. There was no bottled water. We drank from the tap, the water hose. Cartoons was on the tube as we cleaned the house on Saturday morning, while listening to music(Frankie The Big Booper). We went to Sunday school & then church⛪ service thereafter. but churches don’t have that on the regular anymore. Your neighborhood was a city within the city and was equipped with a "candy store"🍬 . The drive-ins, the parties at the Firehouse or Moose Club on holidays. If someone had a fight, that's what it was, a fight (one on one). Those that fought were friends again the next day if not sooner. The street lights🚦were your curfew. Attending school🏫 was mandatory. The teachers and police were people who you could TRUST. We watched our MOUTHS around our elders because ALL of your NEIGHBORS were your parents and you didn't want them telling your parents if you misbehaved. Yes, EVERYONE RESPECTED THEIR ELDERS! Those were the days!!
Re-post if you're proud that you came from a close-knit community and will never forget where you came from!
Copy & Paste with an edit of where you grew up. Kids today will never know how it feels to be a REAL KID. I loved growing up when we did. It was a great time!!!
Let's Spread Peace and Love... these kids these days will never understand how we grew up if we don't let them know.