Wayback Wednesday (keep it going!)

I had heard about it, of course. I had just graduated HS that June, and was enjoying a basically 'free' summer before starting junior college in September. Had a job. I thought about going, but it was all the way across the country, and you can say I didn't really have any experience travelling all on my own (other than one bus and one plane trip up to San Francisco to visit relatives). So that thought went out the window real fast. I consoled myself living in Southern California about 3 miles from the Pacific Ocean.......

 

My dad remembers the clubs in San Francisco that played cool jazz.
Artists like Dave Brubeck, Vince Guaraldi, and his favorite (mine too) Paul Desmond... of course when he got old enough for the clubs they where all gone, replaced by top less bars, and other seedy places...
So the places like the Hungry i where gone...

 

My big sister took me to see Paul Revere and the Raiders at a local radio station fan appreciation
day concert in '67.
The only reason she took me is because my mom didn't trust her around guys and I was the spy. I made a lot of bribe, extortion, and blackmail money off that arrangement.

 

It would seem you guys are ALOT older then me.

 

I honestly think I was born 20 years too late, but still, even though I was born in '65, I still identify with all the Baby Boomers. But I did get to see Paul Revere and The Raiders here in Everett when I was in 8th grade, as they did a two-night performance at my junior high school. Sad to say, I couldn't afford to go to the regular performance, as the tickets had a pic of the band done by Mad Magazine artist Don Martin.

 

Then you probably don't remember Glenn Miller or Xavier Cugat.

 

They were really swell.
I have some of their 78 RPM recording discs that I play on my talking machine.

 

I'm probably the youngest guy here... y'all think you where born too late? I relate to people older than me, growing up I got along with my friends dads more than my friends, heck now most of my friends are in there 50s and 60s... I guess I fit right in here.

 

Very few younger wagon or car guys anymore, go to car shows and half the guys are on oxygen anymore.
The last show I went to had booths from retirement homes and cemeteries, the funniest part is is that I'm not kidding..
There's is a show at the local retirement home this coming Saturday, free ice cream sundaes but you probably have to sit through a high pressure sales pitch to get one.

 

I live in an oldster neighborhood, I get mail for AARP, cemetery plots, retirement homes, assisted living, all sorts of stuff like that... Heck when I rolled that wagon in they probably thought not "hey look neat old wagon, I had one like that" probably thought "what the hell is with that old junk? they make cars a lot better now, damn youngsters probably think that old gas guzzler is a classic!"
Old people... either ya love 'em or ya don't but one day you wake up and realize you're old too!

 

In Florida we lived on an isolated five acres with only five acre lots on the same side of the road. Nothing across the dirt road. Most neighbors were old. But sadly we were older. Florida is full of old people and young people that won't work.
Now we live back in Illinois on a 1/8th mile lane. Looks like the youngest neighbors are ready for the retirement home!
I was getting mail from AARP while I still worked and sometimes even senior discounts. Now that I've been retired longer than many members have lived most senior discounts stopped and 20 year olds take all the handicapped spaces and scooters.
98% of the people taking cars to cruise ins just sit next to their cars and complain about kids touching their prized toys.
We used to stand around and talk till midnight. Now the shows begin at 5PM and are over before dark.

 

Get anything from the Neptune Society yet?
Yeah I hear ya on car shows, cruise nights, etc...
Seems like my generation isn't interested in classics, guess if they didn't grow up with it they don't care, guess I'm odd that way?
It's a good feeling when you have a classic car, and people want to take pictures and tell ya how cool it is.
I can tell ya I'm the cool guy at work now, everyone likes my wagon! now if I can get it running again we're golden.

 

The new girl (about 3 months) at work, she's about 20ish, came over to me the other day and said "that wagon belongs to you, I've been drooling over it for days". Cool!
Actually I have had several people stroll down memory lane while checking out Lil Sis this summer. It's the usual type of story "my parents had one of these when I was a kid". Doubly cool.

 

What I find odd, is there's a disconnect in my family and wife's family... I was born 16 years after my oldest brother, my dad was almost 40 when he had me... he's in his 70's now..
So when I talk to him about the wagon, he was there, old enough to own it, was a young father...
On the other hand when I talk wagons with my inlaws, its totally different, they grew up in the BACK, like WAY BACK of them... so with me it's an odd disconnect...
Maybe my spirit is just older than my body...

 

I understand what your saying. About your spirit and body don't worry your body will catch up.