Gimme Gimme

I was chatting with my brother, Tom recently and he asked a question about our maternal grandfather, E.V. Bennett, which I couldn't answer. We both agreed that we missed opportunities to question our Grandparents when we had the chance. It is true and sad that death closes the book on stories untold. I suppose the conversation with my brother got me to thinking about our grandparents and parents. They were perhaps the most significant people in our lives and they are gone from our midst; most for many years.

I couldn't help but attempt to imagine what my folks and grandparents would think about today's culture.Talk about 'strangers in paradise.' And then again, perhaps 'strangers in hell.'

Here's a statistic that I believe would cause my grandparents pain: cohabiting has increased 900% over the past 50-years. Three out of four women have cohabited with a male partner by the age of 30.
Forty percent marry that partner. I suppose sixty percent 'change' partners.

I recall getting home from my high school prom around 1:00AM. Not today's high school prom goers. Several  years ago, I was a guest speaker at a Coaches' clinic at the Marriott by St. Louis' Lambert Airport. Mid afternoon I noticed many parents dropping off teenagers and assisting them  with registration. The parents then left. Later that evening I questioned one of the young men waiting for his date to return from the restroom. He told me that parents check their kids into the hotel on  prom night signing off on any room damages. He continued explaining that parents know their kids are going to drink alcohol on prom night and the parents would rather them not drive but stay over night at the hotel. (Note: I would loved to have see my father's expression had I said to him in 1957, "Hey dad would you sign a waiver for damages at a hotel where me and my date are going to drink and sleep together after prom?")

In the 1950's high school age kids took senior trips to Washington D. C. or New York City. Today, high school seniors go for week long senior trips to exotic places, i.e. Aruba.

The other evening I woke at 2:00AM hearing loud engines outside our home. Upon investigation, I saw two fire trucks at the neighbor's home two doors to the South. They've lived there two years. I'd tell you their names but I don't know their names. I've been busy watching television, checking email and Facebook. Mammy Bennett would scold me for that missed opportunity. Back in the day, my parents actually neighbored with everybody on our street. I knew most every neighbors and I also knew what kind of work they did. Not these days.

Once upon a time, some (not all) family's had a 'family car.' Rarely did a family have two cars. Most families today have an auto for everybody of driving age.

It would seem that Americans today embrace two philosophies: 'more and sooner' is better.
Self indulgence is our greatest objective.