Feb. 24, 2003 - 19:45 MST

THE WONDERING JEW

Have I ?

Looking back to when I was a kid, things were different - really. In, most families the breadwinners worked days and were home in the evenings. There were a few companies that worked three shifts, but not too many here in our town. Railroads, packing houses, police, firemen and hospitals were about the most of the shift working outfits. The rest of our town was on an eight to five tour of duty.

Life was pretty relaxed and slow moving in a way. Got even slower during the depression. But people visited. Front stoop talk between neighbors was a normal thing. Gossiping over the clotheslines between women was hot and heavy, often becoming soft voiced back fence chat.

Our fast paced night life consisted of dropping by to visit friends or relatives, the evening visits seemed more formal and the day visits were for us kids to play with each other. Then there were the picnics in the nearby mountains where friends and relatives feasted and played as long as their energy lasted.

There were those special nights, not really because of the dress up code but because there was great fun to be had. We would go to a house where the whole layout would be bridge tables surrounded by four chairs each. On each table would be a dish of candy and/or nuts. Of course there would be a deck of cards at teach table.

I guess my age kept me pretty much unaware as to how people lined out at each table. Came to my notice though that man and wife usually played across from each other and were partners. Bridge had been mastered and ditched by Mom and Dad because people who played Bridge had these long acrimonious, grudge holding sorties which took the fun out of playing cards. But the Bridge Mix was here to stay, as well as the foldup Bridge tables.

Some of the card parties were played by 500 Rummy types others were Pinochle parties. Good nature, good humor and good will abounded. Folks were out to have an enjoyable evening, and they did. I guess maybe civilized behavior grew a bit in me then.

I had learned how to play Rummy and pinochle quite some time before Mom and Dad thought to take me along, I went as an observer. And longer after that they felt maybe their kid had progressed enough to be allowed to play with the adults. I fit in because there was usually someone who needed a partner to sit across the table from them. What a red letter night that was, me on my best behavior and trying to sit up straight and play cards with the grown ups. I must have done well as Mom and Dad would take me along and I never offended anyone other than being on the winning end once in a while. Some grown folks didn't like to lose to a pair, one of whom was a kid. I kept my mouth shut and faded into the pattern in the carpet 'cause I wanted to keep coming back.

Those few short years in my life were periods of great contentment and fun.

We moved across town to Dad and Mom's new house near the old Phipps Sanitarium which was in the process of becoming Lowry Field, an Army Air Force training site. War had been in the air, Repeal had been in existence for quite some time and the card parties gradually tapered off. Folks would get together for an evening of cocktails and idle visiting.

Remington Arms came to town as well as other businesses, suddenly there was all kinds of shift work going. People became too busy, working different shifts to be able to have much card party fun.

As our kids grew they learned to play Rummy, Tripoli and some board games, that form of recreation was the norm for us. Occasionally a drive in theater for a show, going while it was still light so our kids could play on the playground 'til it got dark enough for the show to start.

We had next door neighbors who liked to play cards and many a pleasant evening would be spent at card games with them at their house or ours.

Nowadays it seems that a kid has to be playing in some sport or another demanding support and taxi service, the little ones having "play dates" at friends houses. It seems so disconnected, everybody dashing hither and yon in the name of recreation, exhausting themselves and the ferrying parents, all returning home to have a quick meal, sit slack jawed in front of the flickering screen of the TV until finally being sent to bed.

Seems to me that folks don't have time any more to sit back, relax, laugh, talk and have enjoyable fun at a slow pace. I guess times have changed or Have I ? . . . . . . . . . . . .

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