The Three R's by Grandpa Jim

Readin', recallin', and writin' ---the three steps to a memoir.

It looks to me like few people do much writing anymore. When I published other people's memoirs 25 years ago, about 15 to 20% of my subscribers sent in their stories. Today, I looked at my counter and less than 2% have responded. I guess we are all just too busy, busy, busy. And that's OK. I understand what it means to be busy...if I remember correctly. Some of the things I have posted have been in my Word file for months, so I guess I cheat a little. It may appear that it's easier for me, as a result. I can crank out a lot of words and if I could only type faster, I'd write a book a month, maybe? No, well...a year? Let me ask this; what was different about your graduation, or wedding, or anniversary, or parenthood, or early schooling, or travel, or vacations from of those you observe around you today? It doesn't matter why they were different. How were they unlike another? Were they really the "good old days?" Give us your examples. We thrive on examples. I'll give you one: dating. Dating in the 1940's was cheap, cheap, cheap. I got an allowance of one dollar a week in those days, and I could take a girl for (1.) a long walk, (2.) a cherry coke, and (3.) visit a museum for less than 1/4th of my allowance. Yes, a nice, leisurely stroll down a tree-lined street could be a major part of a "date." I recall the time when my allowance doubled. Dad gave me one dollar allowance plus one dollar for lunches at the high school cafeteria. An announcement was made that the cafeteria needed workers and the pay was a week's lunch pass for a week's work washing dishes. (50 minutes per day.) I asked Dad if I took that job could I have the lunch dollar for added allowance. He cheerfully agreed, and I was almost RICH! Guess what? The price of a date never really went up all that much and I began to actually accumulate a little savings. (I think that if I wanted to impress somebody, the cherry coke might have risen to the lofty level of an ice cream sundae...on occasion.)
By the way, did you ever get pleasure from a walk in the rain? I did. After all, my girl was beside me! Advance all the way to 1946 before my discharge from the navy. A date with my little Jeannie often meant a game of mini-golf or a movie. To go dancing was extra special. Eating out was extra special. Being together was extra, extra special. Nothing else really mattered.