How old is Grandma??

[southerngale]

One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events. The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.

The Grandma replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born, before television, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, Frisbees and the pill.

There were no credit cards, laser beams or ball-point pens. Man had not invented pantyhose, air conditioners, dishwashers, clothes dryers, and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and man had yet to walk on the moon.

Your Grandfather and I got married first and then lived together. Every family had a father and a mother. Until I was 25, I called every man older than I, "Sir"- - and after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir".

We were before gay-rights, computer-dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy. Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense. We were taught to know the difference between
right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.

Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege. We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent. Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins. Draft dodgers were people who closed their front doors when the evening breeze started. Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends- not purchasing condominiums.

We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings. We listened to the Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on our radios. And I don't ever remember any kid blowing his brains out listening to Tommy Dorsey. If you saw anything with 'Made in Japan' on it, it was junk. The term 'making out' referred to how
you did on your school exam.

Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of. We had 5&10-cent store where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents. Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel. And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail one letter and two postcards.

You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600 but who could afford one? Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon. In my day, "grass" was mowed, "coke" was a cold drink, "pot" was something your mother cooked in, and "rock music"
was your grandmother's lullaby.

"Aids" were helpers in the Principal's office, "chip" meant a piece of wood, "hardware" was found in a hardware store, and "software" wasn't even a word.

And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby. No wonder people call us "old
and confused" and say there is a generation gap..... and how old do you think I am ???....

Read on to see -- pretty scary if you think about it and pretty sad at the same time.

Grandma is 58.
How could so much go wrong in such a short time?

[stormraiser]

Wow, that's pretty young to be old and confused. My mother will be 51 in a couple of months. I bet she can remember time before most of that.

[Pburgh]

I would have said she was much older. I'm 59 and we knew about the clothes dryer, dishwasher and air conditioner when I was a youngin as they were invented in the late 1800 to early 1900. None of us could afford them.

[Skywatch_NC]

Kelly,

Just wondering...was this story based on a factual account? If so, the poor woman only in her late 50s and mind starting to go already.

Eric

[Pburgh]

Eric, in fact, most of what that Grandma said is true. In order to have a grandchild who is old enough to carry on a conversation on current events, I would have had to have kids by the time I was 20 and my kids would have had to have kids by the time they were 20!!! That means my grandchild would be 19. My oldest grandchild is 5 - I guess that I'm a late bloomer. ROTFLMAO

[southerngale]

Should I edit it and make Grandma 68 instead?
I didn't write this but I thought the general message was interesting.

[Skywatch_NC]

Should I edit it and make Grandma 68 instead?
I didn't write this but I thought the general message was interesting.

It really is interesting, Wxbuddy!

I was just kinda confused at first...and I'm only 41! lol

[Pburgh]

Nahhhhhh, it's interesting!!!!! Like I said, most of it is true.

[azskyman]

Poppysky is right in the thick of things. At 58, granny and I love and respect where we came from, but we are a long way from being over the hill....unless you ask our sons.

Our first color TV was round. My first brand new car cost $2700, and I cost a whopping $480 to get me into the world!

My first year of teaching I earned $6,400 and felt on top of the world because I could earn $2.60 an hour pumping gas in the summer too!

[coriolis]

We have black and white tv's in the kids rooms. Got 'em cheap at yard sales. Now they can tell stories to their grandkids.

Come to think of it....my bike is 19 years old, my camera is like 30 years old, my car is 12 years old, my computer is 4 years old... I could go on.

[Skywatch_NC]

We have black and white tv's in the kids rooms. Got 'em cheap at yard sales. Now they can tell stories to their grandkids.

Come to think of it....my bike is 19 years old, my camera is like 30 years old, my car is 12 years old, my computer is 4 years old... I could go on.

They can watch episodes of Andy Griffith, I Love Lucy, Dick Van Dyke, etc., on TV Land and NEVER know the difference!

[coriolis]

[Guest]

I agree with the message the story portrayed. I shudder to think about what will become the norm and acceptable in the next 10, 20, 30 years....
...Jennifer...