<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div dir="ltr"><span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div dir="ltr"><span></span></div><div dir="ltr"><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div><div><b>“Kid Stuff” </b>by Brian A. Bendall</div><div><br></div><div>Many, many years ago</div><div>When I was just a kid,</div><div>And I had just began to grow,</div><div>There's stuff I had and did.</div><div><br></div><div>I'm thinking back on all those things</div><div>That life saw fit to give me.</div><div>If I can't remember everything,</div><div>I hope you will forgive me.</div><div><br></div><div>Chocolate candy cigarettes</div><div>And big bubble gum cigars.</div><div>Mini Bricks and Red Ball Jets,</div><div>Hopscotch and Dinky cars.</div><div><br></div><div>Mercurochrome and iodine;</div><div>Band-aids in a can.</div><div>Your watch required a daily wind,</div><div>And Etch-A-Sketch was grand.</div><div><br></div><div>In school, the teacher had to see</div><div>Just what you had to do.</div><div>You held one finger up for pee;</div><div>You held up two for poo!</div><div><br></div><div>Marbles, Slinkys, Lincoln Logs,</div><div>Ker Plunk and Pick Up Sticks,</div><div>With Yo-yos, you could "walk the dog,"</div><div>And ice cream came in bricks.</div><div><br></div><div>Arrows all had suction cups</div><div>And guns had rolls of caps.</div><div>Paddle Balls and Tonka Trucks</div><div>Big red lips were wax,</div><div><br></div><div>Bumps on heads, being black and blue,</div><div>Was minor when compared to</div><div>Being sick with cold or flu!</div><div>Have fun? You're not prepared to!</div><div><br></div><div>Measles, mumps, and chicken pox</div><div>Always seemed to flare.</div><div>They opened up Pandora's Box</div><div>And caught us unaware!</div><div><br></div><div>With medicine and care from mom,</div><div>Our time in bed was cut!</div><div>But I can't remember anyone</div><div>Allergic to a nut!</div><div><br></div><div>Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys</div><div>And also Brothers Grimm.</div><div>But Mark Twain was my pride and joy!</div><div>I never could resist him!</div><div><br></div><div>Hide and seek and tag were there.</div><div>New energy we found!</div><div>No more teacher scorns to bear</div><div>When summer came around.</div><div><br></div><div>PF Flyer running shoes,</div><div>Steel roller skates had keys.</div><div>There were phone booths we could use</div><div>If there's emergencies.</div><div><br></div><div>Rolling down a grassy hill</div><div>In parks was a delight.</div><div>Nicky Nine Doors was a thrill,</div><div>But only played at night!</div><div><br></div><div>We rode our bikes with playing cards</div><div>Flapping on our spokes.</div><div>We played in all our friends' backyards</div><div>And told our "Knock Knock" jokes.</div><div><br></div><div>Climbing fences, climbing trees</div><div>Were common things to do.</div><div>Getting bruised or skinning knees?</div><div>That was nothing new!</div><div><br></div><div>Two wheel scooters, kiddy cars,</div><div>We had Soap Box Rallies.</div><div>Baseball teams and monkey bars</div><div>And close by bowling alleys.</div><div><br></div><div>In winter, there were snowball fights</div><div>And snow forts for protection.</div><div>And when a bitter wind would bite,</div><div>Few kids raised objection!</div><div><br></div><div>Speeding down a snowy slope</div><div>On sleds and blown up tires.</div><div>"Is it too steep?" We all said, "Nope!"</div><div>We wanted to go higher!</div><div><br></div><div>In our teens were Levi jeans,</div><div>Duck and pony tails.</div><div>Sock hops were a common scene</div><div>Where dancing would prevail.</div><div><br></div><div>Bobby socks and poodle skirts</div><div>And continental slacks.</div><div>White buck shoes and fancy shirts,</div><div>Guitars and wailing sax!</div><div><br></div><div>Computers? What on Earth were they?!</div><div>Well, they would show up later.</div><div>And none I knew could dare display</div><div>Cell phones or calculators!</div><div><br></div><div>Many things I've mentioned here</div><div>Are still with us today.</div><div>But lots of kids, it does appear,</div><div>Ignore this great buffet!</div><div><br></div><div>What happened to the world I knew?</div><div>Have kids today stopped growing?</div><div>If time machines were really true,</div><div>I know where I'd be going!</div><div><br></div><div>Dick, Jane, Spot and Puff</div><div>Are nothing now but jokes.</div><div>But maybe I have said enough,</div><div>So I'll say, "That's all folks!"</div></div><div><br></div>———————————————<br><br><div dir="ltr"><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" </span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></body></html>