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Growing up in Andalusia was a
typical small town experience.
The neighborhoods were safe
to explore as long as you
followed the rules . The streets
were safe for riding banana
seat bicycles , complete with
chopped front forks , and sissy
bars . The fields and
schoolyards were available for
sandlot ball , or war games,
depending on the mood .
It seemed that nothing was off limits , as
much of our world is today . In this
environment , we explored the world
around us , staying out until dark on most
days , and only coming home on
weekends and Summer days , when we
needed a meal or refreshment . Our
range expanded as far as our parents
could successfully recall us . Our
behaviour was monitored by the
neighbors if the parents were not around,
and we were as subject to their discipline
as we were to our own parents. Our
teachers , coaches and parents all
provided us with enough structure to
keep us in line, while allowing us to grow,
play and negotiate our own problems
whenever possible .
We had chores to perform ,
and we all learned to get
them finished with a chance
at spending our allowance on
an afternoon at the City Pool
in Summer , or the Martin
Theatre any time. The
Saturday Matinee at the
Martin was surely a reprieve
for many a weary parent.
Television included Lancelot
Link , H.R. Pufnstuf and
Johnny Quest on Saturday
Mornings . Night time brought
us the Mod Squad , Batman
and the Man from U.N.C.L.E.
We raised money for clubs and school
by selling Christmas cards and
candles , while the Girl Scouts sold
Cookies and the Band sold those
great Price's Donuts.
We shelled peas and pecans , raked
yards and found part time jobs
whenever our allowance wasn't
enough. We built forts in the woods ,
then camped in the backyard . We
practiced our skills for Punt, Pass and
Kick . We sipped sodas at City Drug
store , and participated in the Public
Library's annual Summer Reading
Program .
We fought it out with Rock-em
Sock-em Robots , made weird
creatures with our Creepie
Crawler machines, and fed
our parents with the Easy
Bake Oven .
If Electric Football wasn't
nearby , a folded paper
football was good enough for
a while , and a bag of plastic
Army men could keep us busy
for hours . Mouse-trap , Clue ,
and Operation were our board
games.
When there was no one
around to play, we had Lost in
Space ,Gilligan, the Brady
Bunch and Dudley Do-Right to
entertain us . Dark Shadows
became our first soap .
We begged to wear bangs , when
the standard was a crew cut .
We demanded PF Flyers when
we found out they would make
us run faster . We settled for
Toughskin Jeans when we really
wanted Wranglers or Levis . We
shopped at the Variety Store for
Duncan Yo-Yo's and Wheelo's .
Our net worth was based on
marbles(shooter, cats eyes and
bumblebees) , baseball cards,
army men, Hot Wheels tracks
and Blue Horse coupons.
