Raoul’s Two Cents: May 17, 2024
Boys Will Be Boys
I was driving along my neighborhood when I spotted a couple of boys running around all drenched and brandishing huge water pistols. Upon closer inspection, one of the boys turned out to be my grandson.
“Hi grandpa!.” he shouted, wiping the water squirt from his eyes.
We laughed.
As I drove away, I realized that was the first time I saw kids playing around like that. Playing outside is not very common anymore, is it? A majority of the kids play video games inside the secured fortress of their homes.
When I was a boy, I would run out into the grassy fields like a deer and never seemed to get tired. I would walk all by myself, wearing my slippers to my cousin’s house which was about a mile away. The thought of being kidnapped or hit by a car never crossed my mind. I would be gone for hours unsupervised and no one would worry where I was.
I would play in the rain. I would play in the beach. I would build little houses made out of scrap furniture and old blankets. I would shoot cans down with my slingshot. I would climb mango trees like a monkey, snap the fruits from the branches and eat them up there. I built war zones with my plastic soldiers and toy trucks. At night, I would hunt rats with my BB rifle. I played basketball and other rough games … sprained both my ankles, several fingers … but I accepted these accidents as part of boyhood.
We played with spiders, beetles, ants, worms, cards, marbles, rubber bands, toy tops, kites, cars, rockets, firecrackers, fire, ate lots and lots of candies … I enjoyed being a boy.
I wanted to make sure my grand kids would experience the same thrills so the next day, I encouraged them to play outside and meet new friends. Since then I’ve seen them driving around with their helmets on their motorized scooters. They’d let their friends play with them too.
Modern America doesn’t seem to be neighborhood friendly anymore … at least not for city folks. There is a fear of some nefarious stranger lurking on the shadows or an unmarked van pulling up beside your child to kidnap him/her. But as long as the kids are taught to pair up and observe the proper precautions, we should set them free to explore.
But this is just me. How was your childhood?
TGIF people!
“Older people sit down and ask, ‘What is it?’ but the boy asks, ‘What can I do with it?’.” — Steve Jobs
“One of the best things in the world to be is a boy; it requires no experience, but needs some practice to be a good one.” — Charles Dudley Warner
“And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets ” – Zechariah 8:5
“ I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” — 3 John 1-4
JOKE OF THE WEEK
Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA and Oscar of La Mirada, CA
Original art by Raoul Pascual.
Parting Shots
Thanks to Colleen of Washington State
Thanks to Benny of Chicago
Thanks to Drew of Anaheim, CA
I found these:
My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with this.
Heather
May 20, 2024 at 9:58 am
You were describing a very similar childhood like I had. That is, without the spiders or the worms for sure. We did live in a kinder gentler time but a lot of the bad things that still happen today were commonly known but got swept under the carpet to protect the victims and the perpetrators. Unfortunately some things don’t change.
Until there is really a consequences, immediately after a terrible thing happens, people will continue doing the horrific things that they can get by with because our justice system is on hiatus.
Tom
May 20, 2024 at 9:58 am
Your growing up resembled mine in Altadena! All outdoors and around the neighborhood in other yards, homes and vacant lots outdoors. No video games or long times indoors. Kids Miss that today!
I think it was healthier in many ways. Tom
Ed
May 20, 2024 at 9:59 am
nice one
Chuck
May 20, 2024 at 10:04 am
Hi Raoul,
Glad all is well. Your reminiscing brought back some memories of my childhood. My “little brother”-by 3 years, and I went with the Los Angeles Times Boys Club in Lincoln Heights to see our first L.A. Rams Football Game. That was about 1949. My brother Petey was 6 and I was 9. It was a night game; walking into the L.A. Memorial Coliseum all lite up was an unforgettable sight for young boys! I can still picture the bright lights! The quarterback Bob Waterfield and wide receiver, Crazylegs Hirsch were the heroes of the night. When we got back to the Boys Club, it had to be around midnight. There were no cars that late at night then. Our Mom was happy to see us home, but as I, she recall wasn’t too upset because we had to walk home at night. (This was before 9-1-1) It was an unforgettable adventure. Tio Pete as we called him was born in 1900. He lived to 1997; every year marked his number of years alive. So Tio Pete lived to 97 years of age. I’m sad to say by brother is in an El Paso Texas veterans hospital. Suffering from left over effects of an air craft tire exploding while he was working on it. It hit his head and knocked him across the hangar. All but killed him then. He lived many years healthy after that. He owns a house in El Paso, Texas, and his wife Flor owns a house in Chihuahua, Mexico. They have been dividing their time between the two because he has to be close to a V.A. Hospital. My cousin is part Tarahumara. The indigenous people of Chihuahua. Known for their long-distance running abilities. Please send prayers his way.
One of my happiest boyhood memories was warm summer evenings when all the neighbor kids would play Hide and Go Seek. Nothing beat drinking water out of a garden hose when you were hot and sweaty! What an adventure! We were blessed to be born before computers. God bless our grandchildren and Great Grand Children. Our Great Grandson will celebrate his 1st Birthday this Sunday.
Bob Hope said, “You know you’re getting old when the candles cost more than the cake””
Mike of NYC
May 20, 2024 at 10:04 am
I agree with you. I grew up the same way, playing with my friends from all over.
We all had a great time, on the streets of Queens, NYC or the beach.
I miss all that.
Larry
May 20, 2024 at 10:07 am
Good Morning Raoul.
Always happy to see your TGIF email, Have a wonderul day and stay healthy.
Oscar
May 20, 2024 at 11:58 am
I would get rid off the electric scooter and get my grandkid a skateboard 🛹 instead 😂
That’s another problem IMO , kids are growing up with electric bikes ,scooters and so On.
I think kids will start loosing their mechanical skills and balance skills because of lack of experience from pushing and pedaling and learning how to fall safely.
Also those electric scooters and bike go way too faster, so imagine a fall where you least expect it ( Manual bikes and scooters and skateboards is how I learned about mechanics and how to fall and roll safely)
🙏🙏🙏
Raoul Pascual
May 20, 2024 at 12:06 pm
I was concerned about that too.