Just today I was thinking about how different it is growing up in this day an age from what it was like when I was growing up. We used to live across from a big city park in a resort town up in the Midwest. Every summer, vacationers would flock from every part of the country to camp out in their expensive RVs and relax by our beautiful Lake Michigan. It was fun getting to meet so many new people each year. I recall walking through the park and playing there until sun down all throughout the Summer.
We weren't well off, in fact, I always thought we were poor. We never got to go on fancy vacations; after all, where does a family that lives in a resort town go to vacation? Us kids, my brothers and I, weren't treated to fast food as often as kids do nowadays. My good times consisted of having a friend sleep over and then we'd picnic in the park or in our own backyard. I can still see before me the tattered sheet we'd lay in the grass and the bologna and cheese sandwiches. We'd pretend we'd been walking in a forest and that we'd take a bit of a rest and break for food before continuing on our quest to find "home."
I didn't even have that many friends. In school, my best friend and still to this date was Lisa Cole. Lisa, Debbie and me were always hanging out together in grade school. Then when we went on to 7th grade, Debbie - being the wild one sort of went her own way. She was interested in boys way before Lisa and I ever were. Debbie was beautiful too. She had the long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She knew it too. Unfortunately, Debbie's mom passed away when we were still in grade school. Then her father a couple years later. Debbie went wild after that and we didn't see her that often anymore. We found out later she dropped out of school and left with a boyfriend to another state.
Lisa and I still talk every once in a while. She got married and had two daughters. She's still living in that same town up in Michigan. According to her, I got to move and live the glamorous life. She got a job as a cashier at the local grocery store. I came to Dallas and got a job at a large bank. Little does Lisa know that she got the better deal. I'd give anything to live in a town like the one I grew up in. The fresh air. The laid back way of life. I miss that.
Kitty Robinson, that was the name of my slumber party partner in crime. We would stay up way into the wee hours of the morning and tell each other stories. She was going to marry Leif Garrett she said or one of the Hudson brothers. I was sure I'd end up with Les of the Bay City Rollers. Not too long ago I saw what they all look like now. Let's just say I am glad those ideas were just childhood midnight talk marathons with my friend Kitty.
I miss living up there. Someday, I hope to return to see my daughter dream up the same wild dreams I had. I want her to experience swimming in the lake, sand between her toes and most important of all, I want her to be able to play in the backyard without me worrying that someone is going to snatch her away. I'm wondering if that will ever be possible in this day and age.
We weren't well off, in fact, I always thought we were poor. We never got to go on fancy vacations; after all, where does a family that lives in a resort town go to vacation? Us kids, my brothers and I, weren't treated to fast food as often as kids do nowadays. My good times consisted of having a friend sleep over and then we'd picnic in the park or in our own backyard. I can still see before me the tattered sheet we'd lay in the grass and the bologna and cheese sandwiches. We'd pretend we'd been walking in a forest and that we'd take a bit of a rest and break for food before continuing on our quest to find "home."
I didn't even have that many friends. In school, my best friend and still to this date was Lisa Cole. Lisa, Debbie and me were always hanging out together in grade school. Then when we went on to 7th grade, Debbie - being the wild one sort of went her own way. She was interested in boys way before Lisa and I ever were. Debbie was beautiful too. She had the long blonde hair and piercing blue eyes. She knew it too. Unfortunately, Debbie's mom passed away when we were still in grade school. Then her father a couple years later. Debbie went wild after that and we didn't see her that often anymore. We found out later she dropped out of school and left with a boyfriend to another state.
Lisa and I still talk every once in a while. She got married and had two daughters. She's still living in that same town up in Michigan. According to her, I got to move and live the glamorous life. She got a job as a cashier at the local grocery store. I came to Dallas and got a job at a large bank. Little does Lisa know that she got the better deal. I'd give anything to live in a town like the one I grew up in. The fresh air. The laid back way of life. I miss that.
Kitty Robinson, that was the name of my slumber party partner in crime. We would stay up way into the wee hours of the morning and tell each other stories. She was going to marry Leif Garrett she said or one of the Hudson brothers. I was sure I'd end up with Les of the Bay City Rollers. Not too long ago I saw what they all look like now. Let's just say I am glad those ideas were just childhood midnight talk marathons with my friend Kitty.
I miss living up there. Someday, I hope to return to see my daughter dream up the same wild dreams I had. I want her to experience swimming in the lake, sand between her toes and most important of all, I want her to be able to play in the backyard without me worrying that someone is going to snatch her away. I'm wondering if that will ever be possible in this day and age.
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