JAMESIE

DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN CLOSE YOUR EYES.....AND GO BACK........ GO BACK BEFORE THE INTERNET OR THE MAC, BEFORE SEMI-AUTOMATICS AND CRACK BEFORE CHRONIC AND INDO BEFORE SEGA OR SUPER NINTENDO WAY BACK........ I'M TALKIN' BOUT HIDE AND GO SEEK AT DUSK. SITTIN' ON THE STOOP, HOT BREAD AND BUTTER. EATIN' A SUPER DOOPER SANDWICH, (DAGWOOD), RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT. CHOCOLATE MILK, LUNCH TICKETS, PENNY CANDY IN A BROWN PAPER BAG. HOPSCOTCH, BUTTERSCOTCH, DOUBLEDUTCH, JACKS, KICKBALL, DODGEBALL, Y'ALL! MOTHER, MAY I? HULA HOOPS AND SUNFLOWER SEEDS, JAW BREAKERS, BLOWPOPS, MARY JANES, RUNNING THROUGH THE SPRINKLER, THE SMELL OF THE SUN AND LICKIN' SALTY LIPS.... WAIT...... CATCHIN' LIGHTENING BUGS IN A JAR, PLAYIN SLING SHOT AND RED ROVER. WHEN AROUND THE CORNER SEEMED FAR AWAY, AND GOING DOWNTOWN SEEMED LIKE GOING SOMEWHERE. BEDTIME STORIES, CLIMBING TREES. A MILLION MOSQUITO BITES AND STICKY FINGERS. COPS AND ROBBERS, COWBOYS AND INDIANS, SITTIN ON THE CURB, JUMPIN DOWN THE STEPS, JUMPIN ON THE BED. PILLOW FIGHTS. BEING TICKLED TO DEATH, RUNNIN' TILL YOU WERE OUT OF BREATH, LAUGHING SO HARD THAT YOUR STOMACH HURT. BEING TIRED FROM PLAYIN'.... REMEMBER THAT? I AIN'T FINISHED JUST YET... LICKING THE BEATERS WHEN YOUR MAMA MADE A CAKE. WHEN THERE WERE TWO TYPES OF SNEAKERS FOR GIRLS AND BOYS (KEDS & PF FLYERS), AND THE ONLY TIME YOU WORE THEM AT SCHOOL, WAS FOR "GYM." WHEN NEARLY EVERYONE'S MAMA WAS AT HOME WHEN THE KIDS GOT THERE. WHEN NOBODY OWNED A PUREBRED DOG. WHEN A QUARTER WAS A DECENT ALLOWANCE, AND ANOTHER QUARTER A HUGE BONUS. WHEN YOU'D REACH INTO A MUDDY GUTTER FOR A PENNY. WHEN YOUR MAMA WORE NYLONS THAT CAME IN TWO PIECES. WHEN YOU'D COLLECT EMPTY COCA-COLA BOTTLES AND TURN THEM IN FOR CANDY AND MAYBE HAVE A FEW CENTS LEFT OVER. WHEN ALL OF YOUR MALE TEACHERS WORE NECKTIES AND FEMALE TEACHERS HAD THEIR HAIR DONE, EVERYDAY. WHEN YOU GOT YOUR WINDSHIELD CLEANED, OIL CHECKED, AND GAS PUMPED, WITHOUT ASKING, FOR FREE, EVERY TIME. GAS WAS 25 CENTS A GALLON. AND, YOU DIDN'T PAY FOR AIR. AND, YOU GOT TRADING STAMPS TO BOOT! WHEN LAUNDRY DETERGENT HAD FREE GLASSES, DISHES OR TOWELS HIDDEN INSIDE THE BOX. WHEN ANY PARENT COULD DISCIPLINE ANY KID, OR FEED HIM OR USE HIM TO CARRY GROCERIES, AND NOBODY, NOT EVEN THE KID, THOUGHT A THING OF IT. WHEN IT WAS CONSIDERED A GREAT PRIVILEGE TO BE TAKEN OUT TO DINNER AT A REAL RESTAURANT WITH YOUR PARENTS. WHEN THEY THREATENED TO KEEP KIDS BACK A GRADE IF THEY FAILED.....AND DID! WHEN BEING SENT TO THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE WAS NOTHING COMPARED TO THE FATE THAT AWAITED A MISBEHAVING STUDENT AT HOME. BASICALLY, WE WERE IN FEAR FOR OUR LIVES BUT IT WASN'T BECAUSE OF DRIVE BY SHOOTINGS, DRUGS, GANGS, ETC. DISAPPROVAL OF OUR PARENTS AND GRANDPARENTS WAS A MUCH BIGGER THREAT! DECISIONS WERE MADE BY GOING "EENY-MEENY-MINEY-MO." MISTAKES WERE CORRECTED BY SIMPLY EXCLAIMING, "DO OVER!" "RACE ISSUE" MEANT ARGUING ABOUT WHO RAN THE FASTEST. MONEY ISSUES WERE HANDLED BY WHOEVER WAS THE BANKER IN "MONOPOLY." CATCHING LIGHTNING BUGS COULD HAPPILY OCCUPY AN ENTIRE EVENING. IT WASN'T ODD TO HAVE TWO OR THREE "BEST" FRIENDS. BEING OLD, REFERRED TO ANYONE OVER 20. THE NET ON A TENNIS COURT WAS THE PERFECT HEIGHT TO PLAY VOLLEYBALL AND RULES DIDN'T MATTER. THE WORST THING YOU COULD CATCH FROM THE OPPOSITE SEX WAS MONO. IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE THAT DODGEBALL WASN'T AN OLYMPIC EVENT. HAVING A WEAPON IN SCHOOL, MEANT BEING CAUGHT WITH A SLINGSHOT. SCRAPES AND BRUISES WERE KISSED AND MADE BETTER. NOBODY WAS PRETTIER THAN MAMA. IT WAS A BIG DEAL TO FINALLY BE TALL ENOUGH TO RIDE THE "BIG PEOPLE" RIDES AT STEEPLECHASE. GETTING A FEW INCHES OF SNOW WAS A DREAM COME TRUE. ABILITIES WERE DISCOVERED BECAUSE OF A "DOUBLE-DOG-DARE." SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS WEREN'T 30-MINUTE ADS FOR ACTION FIGURES. NO SHOPPING TRIP WAS COMPLETE, UNLESS A NEW TOY WAS BROUGHT HOME. "OLY-OLY-OXEN-FREE" MADE PERFECT SENSE. SPINNING AROUND, GETTING DIZZY AND FALLING DOWN WAS CAUSE FOR GIGGLES. THE WORST EMBARRASSMENT WAS BEING PICKED LAST FOR A TEAM. WAR WAS A CARD GAME. PINE CONES OR CORN COBS WERE THE ULTIMATE WEAPON. BASEBALL CARDS IN THE SPOKES TRANSFORMED ANY BIKE INTO A MOTORCYCLE. TAKING DRUGS MEANT ORANGE-FLAVORED CHEWABLE ASPIRIN. ICE CREAM WAS CONSIDERED A BASIC FOOD GROUP. OLDER SIBLINGS WERE THE WORST TORMENTORS, BUT ALSO THE FIERCEST PROTECTORS. IF YOU CAN REMEMBER MOST OR ALL OF THESE, THEN YOU HAVE LIVED!!!! PASS THIS ON TO ANYONE WHO MAY NEED A BREAK FROM THEIR "GROWN-UP" LIFE!!!!! ©2001 BY: LORD J.

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