How Old am I?
I’m so old that I remember automobiles with wooden spokes.
I remember grocery stores that sold peanut butter from
large barrels and served it to their customers in waxed
I’m so old that I remember milk that was delivered every
morning to my house in a glass bottle. I remember large
wooden telephones that hung on the wall and was connected
to a neighborhood party Line.
I remember margarine as a sold white substance, which
a yellow coloring was added to give it the appearance of
I’m so old that I remember ice boxes that held block ice,
which was delivered twice a week by an ice truck.
I remember the outside toilet, the coal burning heating
stove and the wood burning kitchen stove.
I’m so old I remember the hunger and suffering of the
great depression. I remember the crash of the great airship "The
Hindenburg" I remember railroad vagabonds coming to the
back door begging for food.
I’m so old I remember a little man with a funny little
mustache, wearing a arm band with a Swastika threatening
the world with war.
I’m so old I remember sugar at ten cents a pound,
cigarettes at twelve cents a pack, and gasoline at twelve
cents a gallon.
I remember when you paid for an item, you were charged
tax in the form of mills. One mill was worth one tenth of a
The mill was a small metal coin with a hole in the middle.
I’m so old I remember movie matinees for five cents with a
club card. Popcorn or an all-day sucker for five cents.
I remember selling pop bottles and milk bottles to earn the
money to go to the movies.
I’m so old there were no refrigerators, Air conditioning,
Inside plumbing. No television, no computers, no game boys,
no handheld calculators, no cell-phones.
How Old am I?
Old enough to know better, but still too young to resist!
Jackie R. Kays
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