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Taking Inventory
rabbits
and rabbits
were
not
Volkswagens.
Designer Jeans were scheming girls
named Jean or Jeanne, and having
a
meaningful relationship meant getting
along well with our cousins. We were
before house-husbands, computerdating,
dual careers and commuter marriages.
We were before day-care centers, group
therapy and nursing homes.
We never heard of FM radio, tape
decks, CDS, faxes, cellular phones, word
processors, artificial hearts, yogurt, and
guys wearing earrings. For us, time–
sharing meant togetherness
...
not
computers or condominiums; and "chip"
meant
a
piece of wood, hardware meant
hardware and software meant nothing.
In 1940, "made in Japan" meant
cheap goods," "making out" referred to
how you did on your exam. Pizzas,
"McDonalds" and instant coffee were
unheard of. We hit the scene when there
were
5
and 10 cent stores, where you
bought things for five and ten cents.
For one nickel you could ride
a
street
car, make
a
phone call, buy
a
Pepsi or
enough stamps to mail one Jetter and two
postcards. You could buy
a
new Chevy
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