Remember When

Remember when suburban and small town stores were closed Sunday morn? Remember when they rolled up the sidewalk at night at nine-thirty or ten? Remember when the attendant pumped your gas for less than 20 cents a gallon? And when you opened the hood, you could find the gears and the trans? Remember when a national holiday didn't mean 'beach, beer or barbeque?' Remember when vacations meant marshmallow roasts by a campfire uplugged? Remember when the policeman walked his beat on the street, and was friendly? And that via US mail was the only way a picture postcard out-of-town could you send? Remember when a paper was a dime, baseball cards and candy bars a nickel? Remember when fans, and players, were loyal to their teams, and not so fickle? Remember when the soda jerk in the white paper cap poured us phosphates? And how 'bout the linoleum tiles of those diners and all the greasy French fries we ate? Remember when we danced the twist, the frug, the Freddy and the swim? Remember when we camped outside the ballpark and near the end the usher let us in? Remember when you paid nothing for medical insurance and how much it covered? And the Doctor used his hands to examine you, then told you, without ordering any tests, what was wrong? Remember when friends and neighbors sat on the stoop, shooting the breeze on hot summer nights? Remember when the sounds we heard were not gunshots, but the crickets, in the moon shining bright? Remember when we covered our hearts with our hands when the National Anthem was sung or played? And we knew the words and sang along, with a lump in our throats, and tears in our eyes, 'O, say...' If you remember these things, and they seem as precious to you as they do to me, Then make a poem of your memory ~ Capture them forever for your children for free.