My Hometown

I was sittin' on the porch today reminiscin' about this and that, And my hometown came to mind where I grew up as a feckless brat! Life was lived at a slower pace it seemed, back in that place and time. We didn't smoke grass but stealin' watermelons was a common crime! The senior prom was held in the school gym and didn't cost a bunch. There was no McDonalds so you had to eat at Marty's Diner for lunch. Imagine! You danced cheek-to-cheek to a romantic Miller refrain, And there were no computers - you actually had to use your brain! The girls in your class were OK, but you preferred gals in that other town! You raced about town in your Ford and with the cops became quite renown! Guys kept shotguns in their jalopies to go rabbit huntin' right after school. You took pleasure in datin' your pal's ex-girl friend, thinkin' you were so cool! You could usually find who you were lookin' for at the dairy bar or pool hall. You pushed a reel-type lawn mower when you'd rather be playin' basketball. Everyone gathered downtown on Saturday nights for a movie or just to hang out. Boys started drivin' their dad's John Deere tractor at age ten or thereabout. If you walked somewhere, people would stop to see if you needed a ride. Should you be the last kid chosen for a game, that really hurt your pride! Boys wore 'butch' haircuts and girls sported ponytails and saddle shoes. When I recall those carefree days I get a touch of the melancholy blues! Robert L. Hinshaw, CMSgt, USAF, Retired © All Rights Reserved