Small town sounds Unlocked doors Not that many cars. Main Street grocery store Nickel candy bars. Church Street, “Sunday shoes”, Parents stood outside and smoked, Kids caught with cigarettes Would have allowances revoked. Corn Growers Push mowers Friday football games. Everybody, Everywhere, Knew everybody’s name. Summer shouts Paper routes Cub Scouts once a week Boys and girls in sixth grade Dancing cheek to cheek. No shirts Blue jeans Walking through the beans Witches, ghosts and scary things Every Halloween Greased pigs Little League Swimming lessons in the lake Talking back to teachers Was a BIG mistake! Teachers had hard paddles that They were not afraid to use Parents told them, “Go ahead.” And they did not refuse. Bicycles everywhere Pocket knives Truth or Dare Water balloons, Kids Cartoons Fishing in the creek Not it Gravel pit Games of Hide and Seek Bible School Golden Rule Jesus Loved Me This I Know Several generations Watching children grow. Laying on a blanket Watching shooting stars Teachers went two towns away When they went to bars. Home grown tomatoes Juicy burgers nice and thick Eating home-made ice cream Until all of us were sick. Nine o’clock bedtimes The nights were very still I still hear the small town sounds I guess I always will. PwL 5/5/15
I was reading some of Richard Riddle's work and the the one about going to the movie matinees started me thinking about things we did as kids. (Thank you, Richard, LOVE your work!) I grew up in a very small Illinois town with 850 people. Sometimes I wish I could have raised my kids there!