Traditionally Speaking…by Pat Larsen - Summertime Memories…1950’s Style

Back in the day…the fondest of our memories were often those that made up those times after school let out as teen aged kids back in the summers of the 1950’s.

It was then that we finally reached the age where we had the freedom to roam as we pleased that made up most days…no sitters needed any longer. We could sleep-in confidently knowing that our parents were at work. They wouldn’t know when we chose to crawl out of bed as long as our rooms were tidied and the chores on the list were completed “before” they got home from work. 

Freedom meant long uninterrupted phone calls with friends as we talked for hours dragging that long length of phone cord from room to room. 

Simple pleasures meant spending afternoons at a local swimming hole, a lake or a community pool…often being offered a tall glass of cool aide as we sat under a tree to dry off by one of the stay at home Mom’s…

Or there were those opportunities to enjoy the fun of a “sprinkler”  that was turned on full blast that would do the trick to cool us off on the hottest of those August days.

If you were fortunate enough to have your own bike, a simple two wheeler with balloon tires and  handlebars large enough to carry a friend along to  accompany you on your journeys, it made those adventures that much more fun.

We were lucky enough to have a brand new drive-in theater nearby that we would frequent every weekend. In our pajamas of course. The offering extended to “all” of our friends to join us always made it that much more enjoyable as we sat on blankets on the hood of the car, under the  stars, to watch preview cartoons and the feature film, often similar to the Three Stooges that we would watch at home. THIS was so much better though.

Records made their debut as the price dropped during the 50’s and we were able to save some of our allowance to make a purchase of our favorite artists from back then.

Listening to 45 records by Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry and the Everly Brothers…over and over again was the best of times.

Perhaps the greatest gift of those summers was time…Time wasn’t scheduled minute by minute. Boredom often led to creativity, adventures and the benefits of lifelong friendships.

Summer wasn’t something we planned…it simply unfolded. Chasing ice cream trucks was the best part of most days.

It wasn’t a means of “passing” time so much as it was how we built lasting memories to reflect on as we are doing now in our 70’s +.

Remembering and reflecting are truly the ways in which we keep the memories that made up our lives from back then so vibrant and alive.

Have a memory to share..please do so…with me, with some friends, or just as you sip some lemonade tonight on your porch…!

Pat Larsen is a syndicated columnist who works, plays and prays in Greene County, NY where she often reflects on all  of those memories with her husband of 53 years.

Please feel free to contact Pat. She loves hearing from her readership.

518-275-8686 or at pelarsen5@aol.com