I received this email from a friend, and thought should share this with guppies.
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Close your eyes… And go back in time… Before the Internet, VCD and
DVD. Before semi-automatics machine guns, joyriders and crack … Before SEGA or
Super Nintendo or Video Games… Way back…
I’m talking about Hide and seek (Chhupan Chhupaee) in the park or on the
streets. The corner shop, Butter Scotch Candy, Mitchells Milk Toffee, Jubilee,
football with an old can, hockey, cricket and Pittu with the same ball. jumping
in enormous puddles, Building dams. The smell of the sun and fresh cut grass.
Mayfair bubble gum. A POLKA ice cream pop cone on a warm summer night,
Wait…Watching Weekday 5pm evening or Saturday Morning cartoons… short
commercials, The Tom and Jerry, He-Man, Captain Caveman, Waltron, Walligator, Danger
Mouse and Pink Panther.
Staying up late for Night Rider, Air Wolf or Power of Methew Star. Watching
nice Urdu Plays like Un Kahi, Tanhaiyaan, Sunehray Din, Aangan Tera.
Walking to school, no matter what the weather. Running till you were out of
breath. Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt. Jumping on the bed. Pillow
fights. Climbing trees, having gola ganda stealing unripe mangoes (Karrie) from
the neighbour’s tree . Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was
cause for the giggles. Being tired from playing… Remember that? The worst
embarrassment was being picked last for a team. Water balloons were the ultimate
weapon.
I’m not finished just yet… Eating raw jelly, orange squash, ice pops.
Remember when… You knew everyone in your street - and so did your parents! It
wasn’t odd to have two or three “best” friends. You didn’t sleep a wink on EiD
Chaand Raat. When 100 Rs. was decent pocket money. When you’d get a coke for 4
Rs. When nearly everyone’s mum was at home when the kids got there from School.
It was magic when dad would “remove” his thumb. When it was considered a
great privilege to be taken out to dinner! At real restaurant with your parents.
We were in fear for our lives, but it wasn’t because of drive-by shootings,
drugs, gangs, etc. Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat! And
some of us are still afraid of them!!! Didn’t that feel good? Just to go back
and say, Yeah, I remember that!
Remember when… Decisions were made by going “eeny- meeny-miney-mo.” “Race
issue” meant arguing about who ran the fastest. Money issues were handled by
whoever was the banker in
“Monopoly”. The worst thing you could catch from other person was germs, and
the worst thing in your day was having to sit next to opposite sex. Having a
weapon in school, meant being caught with a catapult. Nobody was prettier than
your Mom. Scrapes and bruises were kissed
and made better. Taking drugs meant orange-flavoured chewable aspirin. Ice
cream was considered a basic food group. Getting a foot of snow ! was a dream
come true.
Abilities were discovered because of a “double-dare”. Older siblings were the
worst tormentors, but also the fiercest protectors. If you can remember most
of these, then you have LIVED!!!
Mess with Phatima, mess with me, samje? 