Birthday Reflections

My wife, Gerry celebrated her 76th birthday this week. My goodness, I've known her since she was thirteen and I was fourteen. Perhaps remembering so many birthdays together caused me to think about those days long ago. Back in 1954, everybody rode bikes all over town. Younger kids seemed to enjoy those 'clamp-on' skates and hanging out on summer nights until a parent's beckoned call ended the night. Young teens gathered at house party's where many first kisses ocurred during a game of Post Office or 'spin-the-bottle.'

I can't recall the last time I saw little kids capturing lightning bugs in a jar or called out a name in a game of hide 'n seek. Once in awhile, these days, I walk to the back of the local Walgreen's Drug Store and I imagine where the soda fountain should be. Gee, I remember those shared malts many years ago. However, I cannot remember the last Soda Fountain Cherry Phosphate I drank or buying 'penny candy.'

Each morning while on my 7AM walk, I pass by a Starbucks and notice a line of autos perhaps 11 or 12 deep waiting in the drive thru to purchase their morning drink. Those drivers never notice me passing by because their eyes are fixed on handheld cell phones. Perhaps they are texting and then they could be gathering morning news headlines. As soon as I get home from that 40 minute walk, I'll have coffee and turn the pages of my morning newspaper...that newspaper page-turning is part of my past that I cling to.