For those of us that were born in the early forties there have been
enormous changes.
We were born before television, penicillin, polio vaccine, frozen food,
supermarkets, plastic, contact lenses, videos, laser beams, ball point
pens, dishwashers, tumble dryers, electric blankets, air conditioners, drip
dry clothes, computers disposable nappies, pre prepared baby food. Our
first plane flights were in piston engined planes - some radial, most of us
have owned a car with a side valve engine that did not have windscreen
washers and heaters were optional. We first flew in planes with piston
engines, some radial.
We got married first and then lived together (aren't we quaint). A big mac
was an oversized raincoat and crumpet we had for tea. There was no computer
dating, FM radios, tape decks, word processors, electric typewriters and a
meaningful relationship meant getting on well with family and cousins.
Sheltered accommodation was a bus shelter; there were no artificial hearts,
bypass surgery, kidney machines or flue vaccines, and the dentist's drill
was belt operated by pedal power. For us 'time sharing' meant
togetherness, a 'chip' was a piece of wood or a strip of fried potato. No
young men wore rings in their ears, noses, tongues or nipples and a 'stud'
was something that fastened a collar to a shirt. Hardware were nuts, bolts
and suchlike that we bought at the local 'hardware store,' and software was
not a word.
'Made in Japan' meant junk and the term 'making out' referred to how well
you'd done in exams. 'Going all the way' was a bus ride right to the bus
depot, and pizzas, Wimpy bars, coffee bars, Mcdonalds, and instant coffee
were unheard of.
In our day smoking cigarettes was fashionable, grass was mown, coke was
kept in the coal house, a joint was a cut of meat that we ate for Sunday
lunch and pot was something you cooked in. There was no central heating,
Eldorado was an ice cream, and a gay person was the life and soul of a
party - nothing more, while aids meant a range of beauty treatments or help
for someone in trouble.
We were, and still remain, a hardy, stout hearted bunch with respect for
law and order, we also know the difference between right and wrong, and
worked a 45 hour week plus regular overtime.
By the grace of God we've all survived thus far to see the year 2000 - but
is it little wonder that there is a generation gap?
Paul
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