Once Upon a Time

I acknowledge that I am an incurable romantic. Folks my age traversed those adolescent and teenage years in the 1940's and 1950's. Our rear view mirror reflects the best of times. America was 'feeling' its stride coming off the democracy-saving World War II victories and then embracing a resurgence of (National) industrial growth. Our parents built suburban neighborhoods, we went to drive in movies,  hung out at sweet-shops where three-plays-for-a-quarter-Juke Boxes blared the songs of 'Fats' Domino, Patti Paige and Chuck Berry as we 'Rocked Around the Clock with Haley and his Comets. We turned away from our parents' jitterbug dancing and did our 'stroll' and accepted Chubby's invitation to  'twist.' We always wrapped up the Homecoming or Prom Dances slow-dancing with our favorite girl to the Four Lads singing 'Moments To Remember'...and do we ever Remember!


Growing up in 'blue-collar' pride rich East St. Louis with its plethora of jobs and great high schools sports teams was likely duplicated in many similar communities across America. Today, however, my youthful companions cannot return to take that nostalgic walk through old haunts in our Mississippi River hometown due to crime-ridden unsafe streets. The past fifty years have finds all East St. Louis high school classes of yesteryear holding class reunions in the nearby towns of Collinsville and Belleville. Our playgrounds, theaters and community parks are forbidden hangouts because of the social climate.


I frequently listen to those 'oldies' radio stations, sing the songs aloud....I may reminisce more than others even to the point that some have suggested that I may 'live-in-the-past.' I obviously refute that notion but make to attempt to defend those little personality  idiosyncrasies. It makes sense that when one cannot re-visit then one readily reminisces because the mind triumphs over man's destruction of memory lane streets.


All who read today should pass along those once upon a time stories...it is the romantics gift to a cynical world.