I Can Remember

I remember my many years of attendance to State Fair of Texas. My dad was the head electrician for all the buildings on the grounds,
and he had a special parking place behind the Aquarium building. My brother and I ( rarely together, once there) would meet back at that building just in time for when my dad got off from work.There was never any fears, or thoughts of danger. Well other than talking to lengthy to strangers.
Roaming all the buildings, especially those like the Aquarium , where I could go in back of all the fish tanks, and other exhibits.
Main enjoyment was the midway with all the rides, and vendors selling delicious smelling foods. Fletcher's corny dogs, funnel cakes, and other odd sounding but tasty treats. The odd sites like the bearded woman, snake man, weird looking something or others.
Sunburns I would get from being outside, a few trivial, things I would win at the games. Awe, yes I remember those days

 

I remember when a two wheeler could be fitted with a motor and the first youth that did it charged 10c a ride.
I remember when we got a new movie house in town WITH a balcony.
I remember when our dusty road was sprayed with some kind of oily tar stuff to keep down the dust.
I remember when a magnifying glass was a toy.
I remember when dogs ran loose,doors weren't locked,strangers were not feared, cops were friends, neighbors were our 'parents' too.
We made our B.B. diamonds.
We flew hand made kites and rubber band guns.

 

@Kalvin Mitnic
Don't forget slingshots and the Big Bang carbide cannons, Kal!
Frank

 

I can remember Daddy making "Tanks" out of wooden spools that thread came on.

 

I can remember when we took bottle caps, pieces of a branch, crayons, restraightened nail, and a heavy rock to put it all together, and poof we had a car or truck. Shoe boxes were made into houses and hotels, and a few brick became the school and courthouse.

My father didn’t believe children needed store bought toys, or any presents on any occasion for that matter. Since I didn’t know any difference, I did quite well with just my imagination.

I remember running out the door with nothing in my hands, but I could play for hours all by myself.

Today’s child, not so much.

 

That was a LONG time ago.

 

Over here we had Mr. Whippy vans in the 1950's.

 

@Ken Anderson, that's no fun. I like it when one surprises me by flying right in my face. Surely I wasn't watching where I was going.

 

Come to think of it, I haven't seen a lightening bug in I don't know how many years. Wonder where they all went?

 

@Bill Boggs
We had them while I was growing up in large numbers in summertime, outside Chicago. As small kids, we delighted in squashing them on pavement, upon which their glow increased markedly, then of course was gone. Later as I "grew up", I felt sorry for those bugs, as well as a lot of other sick, frivolous engagements I had entertained, until finally, as an adult (??), I still feel sorry for a poor little plant failed, or the little chipmunk grabbed by a quick cat in front of our house, or many, many other things no one would "feel for", as I do.
Frank