When I was an eight-year-old kid in England, there was a comic called Lion. I loved it and wanted to be a member of their club. I sent away for the official badge and the waiting began.
Sometime later, I was reading my beloved comic when my fifteen-year-old brother Joe came in and said he would give me a small package if I gave him the comic to read. I was so excited I immediately agreed, my badge had arrived; I was in heaven.
This all came back to me when I watched “A Christmas Story” where young Ralfie gets his decoder ring. I felt the same jubilation that he did. It’s such a small thing to bring so much happiness. I’m sure today’s kids get the same thrill we did, but I wonder over what.
They may get some joy out of online stuff but we got a solid object to touch and feel and most importantly, to show off to our friends.
Back in those days, we got all sorts of things free with our comics and magazines. When I worked at a wholesale newspaper and magazine distributor the women’s magazines often came with a free sachet of shampoo. As the unsold magazines didn’t have to be returned we usually ended up with a whole bunch of free shampoo to take home.
We used to get Playboy magazine but there were never any free samples. As a nineteen-year-old, I was quite disappointed.
I remember one time there was a free 45 rmp record but I can’t remember what it had on it.
Our last days
With a couple of days to go before we leave, it’s time f0r Rosalie to clean up all the leftover food. This is the time I suffer the most all season as I have to eat up all the stuff I didn’t like in the summer that Rosalie saved ‘for later’.
I didn’t feel so good after all that food
It’s an odd time; I have so much to do but most have to wait until the last day. For instance, I can’t pack up the chairs on the deck as we still use them in the evening sometimes. All we’re able to do now is light a campfire, sit down and enjoy a glass of wine. Oh, how we suffer.
Anyway, enough whining, in a day or two from now we will be in the sunshine, heat and oppressive humidity; and loving every minute.
