I was born in St. Louis, Missouri. Times were different then, and I couldn’t help but reminisce on all those fond boyhood memories when I awoke from a nap this afternoon. Here are 10 things I remember from my childhood. Maybe some other Boomers out there will remember these things, too.
1. Cool evenings sitting on the porch.
There are a lot of clichés about sitting on the porch and letting time pass you by. However, when I was a child, this wasn’t just a cliché! People really did sit on their porches to cool down in the evenings. Our homes may have looked nice, but they were like ovens during the summertime!
2. Children playing outside.
Who else remembers hopscotch? Or jacks? Back then, kids could play outside without fear. My neighborhood was a safe place, and it was full of children around my age! Built-in playmates lived everywhere in sight. Some of my friends were lucky enough to own bicycles. Sometimes, they’d even let me pedal up and down the sidewalk! Of course, who can forget the perennially fun hide-and-seek? We’d play for hours, hiding in trees and behind houses. Yes, we Boomers were lucky to grow up when we did.
3. The aroma of good, old-fashioned home cooking.
When I was a kid, dinner was known as “supper.” Supper usually included some form of potatoes, meat and gravy, and peas or beans. If I close my eyes, I can still smell the heavenly aroma of my mother’s cooking wafting through the house. We kids didn’t complain about our meals, and my mom certainly enjoyed cooking them!
4. Picnic lunches on Sundays.
Who else recalls packing a picnic basket with delicious goodies and enjoying a nice afternoon full of good food and even better company? Huge bowls of potato salad and coleslaw accompanied every meal. Adults and children played softball, badminton, and other games. At the end of the day, we may have been tired and a little sunburnt, but we were happy!
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5. Being on a first name basis with the butcher.
Nowadays, we often get our meat in the deli section of our local Walmart. The person behind the counter is usually a twenty-something college kid working part-time and studying on the side. However, it was much different when I was a kid! We bought all our meat at a meat store. The butcher was a friendly sort of chap, with blood stains on his apron and a big smile on his face. He cut and wrapped a generous portion in white freezer paper. Always smiling and jovial, he was on a first name basis with all his customers.
6. Nice, cold snow cones on hot summer days.
Every time I heard the musical jingle of the snow cone truck, my heart skipped a beat. No matter where I was, I’d run full throttle to meet the truck as it trundled up my street. There was nothing quite like a snow cone on a sultry summer afternoon. They were always sticky and sometimes turned my tongue blue, but it was just the sort of simple pleasure that made my childhood so memorable!
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7. Listening to baseball games on the radio.
These days, we have the luxury of watching ballgames in high-definition on our flatscreens. But when I was a kid, not everyone owned a TV. Some people had to actually listen to the game on the AM station of their radio. Sometimes, I’d lay down on the floor, close my eyes, and pretend I was in the stands. As the radio announcer’s excited voice warbled through the speaker, I could picture every moment of the game. Maybe it wasn’t as immersive as watching a game on TV, but for this Boomer, it sure was fun!
8. Getting dressed up to attend church on Sunday.
On Sunday, most folks put on their best clothes and attended church. Everyone’s shoes were shined, and suits were pressed. Ladies always wore a beautiful hat. Men’s faces were freshly-shaved. In fact, everyone looked as though they walked right off a magazine cover! As a kid, I didn’t like wearing a stiff suit and sitting in an uncomfortable pew for over an hour, but I’d give anything to attend one of those Sunday prayer meetings again.
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9. Enjoying country music in the town square on Saturday evenings.
There’s an old episode of The Andy Griffith Show that really resonates with this Boomer. Andy and the others want to resurrect an old band stand and get the band together for an evening of musical relaxation. Of course, it doesn’t quite pan out for Andy and Barney, but it does remind me of childhood! Every so often, country musicians would fill the town square and entertain us with their folk music. It was important to get to town at the right time for the weekly drawing! I remember waiting anxiously to hear who would win that week’s prize.
10. Enjoying Sunday dinner.
Sunday dinner was a big thing in the small town. My mother set the table with our best dishes. Curtains fluttered in every open window. Chicken and okra sizzled on the stove, filling the air with mouth-watering aromas. My mother sliced beautiful red tomatoes grown right in our backyard. Families gathered around at the table and enjoyed the harvest. After dinner, some took a Sunday nap, while others enjoyed the best part of the weekend.
If you’re a Boomer reading this, I hope my memories took you back to your childhood. I encourage you to share your childhood memories with others. Invite your friends and family over for a good, old-fashioned Sunday dinner. Pack a picnic basket full of your favorite foods and spend the afternoon at the park. Next time you hear the musical jingle of an ice cream truck, don’t be afraid to follow it. As Paulo Coelho once said, “It’s the simple things in life that are the most extraordinary.” I’d say that applies to most of our childhoods.
Robert Fowler
Contributing WriterRobert Fowler is a retired blogger who lives with his wife, Mary Ann at Village at Deaton Creek, a Del Webb Community in North Georgia. Robert was previously the President of Retirement Media Inc. He has visited numerous 55+ Active Adult Communities over the years, sharing his experiences along the way with readers. View more posts
