Under the Street Light

As the waning days of summer gave way to an earlier nightfall, we 1950's adolescent boys found conversation and street games under the dim light of a street-corner lamp post. There we would tell over-the-top stories, organize a night time hide 'n seek game or pitch pennies. Occasionally, an older boy would hold court and share some new information about sex that he felt was important for us young lads to know. It was at one of those 'under the streetlight' gatherings that I heard someone say, "My older brother told me that if a kid 'plays' with himself a lot, he'll go blind." As I recall that comment caused a moment of reflective silence. Looking back on that theory perhaps the kid's older brother was correct considering the plethora of Lasik surgeries today.

We were all pretty innocent kids except for an occasional garbage can raid, egg and water balloon throwing at city buses and calling taxi cabs to unsuspecting neighbor's houses for a bogus pick up. Once we arrived at the driving age, it seemed the thrill of the week was discovering a new area street where a road 'dip' gave a particular thrill especially if eyes were closed during the ride over that dip. The exercise was more than a little stupid...God was watching over us.

Eventually, the teenage years brought girlfriend-boyfriend romances into our young lives, which did much to assist in the social-sophistication of Da'guys. I cannot speak for other boys but my sex talks started coming from my mother who apparently did not wish to be a grandmother prematurely. Her lecture centerpiece was about 'respecting' a girl. Boys were thought to have had those birds & bees confabs with their fathers, although, I believe that is likely one of our society's biggest myths...I think moms did the talking in most 1950's households.