DAYS GONE BY

DAYS GONE BY

I must be getting older, because I find myself reminiscing about the way “things used to be”. I remember as a kid growing up, listening to my father and the “old ones” discussing “the good old days”. If memory serves me, they felt things were better built, less expensive, and generally more substantial in years gone by.

Fast forward a few dozen years and even I can recall all the changes that have happened in my life time. To be honest, I think most of the changes have been good ones that have made my life easier and more comfortable. In keeping with the traditional way of recalling these things, I believe it is appropriate to start off with the phrase: “When I was a kid”….

Well, when I was a kid I can still remember the Milk man, he would deliver our milk in sturdy glass bottles right to our door and leave them in a little metal box, where he would find our empty return bottles. (not to mention my collection of marbles and jacks). Today we get our pasteurized homogenized milk in paper cartons at the grocery store or seven- eleven (which are now 24/7’s). Back in the days we had old rotary dial phones and “party lines” (boy, I can remember listening in on some juicy conversations of the neighbors). In fact I can still remember my phone number from when I was a kid in Jersey: Fulton 8-3818 (we always said the number with the spoken area code)

When I was I kid, a fill up at the gas station was done by a uniformed gas station attendant. Getting the windows cleaned and “checking under the hood” were also part of the service. Today It’s self serve and pay at the pump, no need for human contact or a friendly hello. Back then, there was a T.V. repair shop on every corner, today there is a bank or Starbucks. In the old days the music featured the sound of the big bands, with all the players dressed in suits and ties, today its rock and rap in baggy pants.

Back in the day a myriad of products were made by hand, by craftsmen that had a lot of pride in their work, today many things are mass produced by automated processes and robots. It seems thing back then were made to last a long time, while today most products are considered disposable (or they are quickly replaced by newer technology)All this efficiency is actual capable of producing products with closer tolerances and less errors, as well as replacing humans in many job roles. The only down side to that is, we have been so efficient with automation that we automated ourselves out of much needed jobs (freeing up our time to stand on the unemployment line)

Today, everything is computerized and mechanized to save time and labor, from the kiosk in the mall to the ATM’s on every street corner. From the self check in at airport terminals (when was the last time they mailed you a paper ticket) to the self check out at Home Depot. E-mail has largely replaced regular mail (or snail mail), paying bills and shopping are done “on line”. For the most part, Good old fashioned service has been replaced by self service; in fact much of the one on one, person to person service seems to be gone forever. When we do experience great customer service, it stands out all the more.

As much as I sometimes long for ‘the good old days”, by and large I’m glad for most of the innovation and change. I would really hate to do without my microwave, dishwasher, cell phone, and a host of other modern amenities (not to mention indoor plumbing). As much as we complain, Cable T.V. with hundreds of choices appealing to most tastes (including the knitting channel), is really preferable to the old broadcast television with a dozen channels. And I really would have a hard time living without cable news and satellite radio in my car.

As I think about it, some of the best things from years gone by are still the best things today (maybe changed a little bit). The classic old movies like Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz, continue to delight new generations of viewer. Re-runs of old shows like I love Lucy and the three stooges are just as funny today as they were back then. I guess some things are just timeless.

You know, overall I think we have come a long way. It’s always fun to think back and reminisce, but as far as I’m concerned “There is no time like the present”. To be honest with you, I find myself looking forward to what the future will bring. Its exciting to contemplate the new discoveries and inventions that will enhance our lives even more. My philosophy is: “Overall its good to remember the past, but try not to get stuck there”. In fact, if these were the “good old days”, I be sitting here in a white “wife beater” T” tee shirt, listening to a scratchy vinyl record, crouched over an old fashioned typewriter, with a gallon sized bottle of white out and a few sheets of “copy paper”, smoking a pack of Camels…..Oh yes..I remember.

P.I.B.