6pak Posted June 7, 2011 #1 Posted June 7, 2011 In the line at the store, the cashier told the older woman that she should > >>>bring her own grocery bag because plastic bags weren't good for the > >>>environment. > >>>The woman apologized to him and explained, > >>>"We didn't have the green thing back in my day." > >>> > >>>The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. > >>>The former generation did not care enough to save our environment." > >>> > >>>He was right; that generation didn't have the "green thing" in its day. > >>> > >>>Back then, they returned their milk bottles, > >>>soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. > >>>The store sent them back to the plant to be washed > >>>and sterilized and refilled, > >>>so it could use the same bottles over and over. > >>>So they really were recycled. > >>> > >>>But they didn't have the "green thing" back in that customer's day. > >>> > >>>In her day, they walked up stairs, > >>>because they didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. > >>>They walked to the grocery store and > >>>didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine > >>>every time they had to go two blocks. > >>> > >>>But she was right. They didn't have the "green thing" in her day. > >>> > >>>Back then, they washed the baby's diapers > >>>because they didn't have the throw-away kind. > >>>They dried clothes on a line, > >>>not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts - > >>>wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. > >>>Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, > >>>not always brand-new clothing. > >>> > >>>But that old lady is right, they didn't have the "green thing" back in her > >day. > >>> > >>>Back then, they had one TV, or radio, in the house - > >>>not a TV in every room. > >>>And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief, > >>>not a screen the size of the state of Montana . > >>>In the kitchen, they blended and stirred by hand because > >>>they didn't have electric machines to do everything for you. > >>>When they packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, > >>>they used a wadded up old newspaper to cushion it, > >>>not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. > >>> > >>>Back then, they didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline > >>>just to cut the lawn. They used a push mower that ran on human power. > >>>They exercised by working so they didn't need to go to a health club > >>>to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. > >>> > >>>But she's right, they didn't have the "green thing" back then. > >>> > >>>They drank from a fountain when they were thirsty > >>>instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time > >>>they had a drink of water. > >>>They refilled their writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, > >>>and they replaced the razor blades in a razor > >>>instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. > >>> > >>>But they didn't have the "green thing" back then. > >>> > >>>Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus > >>>and kids rode their bikes to school or walked > >>>instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. > >>>They had one electrical outlet in a room, > >>>not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. > >>>And they didn't need a computerized gadget > >>>to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space > >>>in order to find the nearest pizza joint. > >>> > >>>But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful the old folks > >>>were just because they didn't have the "green thing" back then? >
FuzzyRSTD Posted June 7, 2011 #5 Posted June 7, 2011 How true this is my friend. I have a great respect for the older generation. I do not stand for people putting them down. I am 47 and some of those things I do remember. We drew our drinking water from the well, and lived once in a rented house and carried our drinking water from way over the hill from a spring. My Grandma Hall and I would tote butter and eggs and walk to Olive Hill to sell it to Stampers Food store. The butter we churned from the milk from the cows. I have churned a many of a churn of butter. I gathered the eggs from the chicken house. I slopped the hogs that we would later kill and dress and put in the smoke house and in the freezer. I would shoot them between the eyes or behind the hear. Only squealed one hog that I remember. People would want me to come and bring my little 22 rifle and shoot their hog for them. We would scrape the hog after putting midland sacks in boiling water and laying them on the dead hog hide. This would release the hair. I would squirrel hunt with that same 22 rifle and a old Ivory Johnson 16 gauge shotgun. We ate a lot of squirrel and rabbit. I still eat squirrel and rabbit and wild turkey and deer venison. I love to hunt with my bow. So please do not ever ask me about the "green thing". I am going to quit rambling on now... Fuzzy And old Hillbilly, and I am sure proud of it.
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now