Page updated: 01/27/2003 12:30 PM

THE GOOD OLD DAYZ

Ah yes! The good old day's. Been some discussion on it the last few weeks so I thought I'd ummm, tell it like I remember it for you kid's that never believed your dad's. Of course my kid's are older than 90& of the people on this list so maybe I should have said granddad's. In any case, I'll fill you in ok!!!

Well I sure ain't complaining! When I was a kid, there wasn't any TV. Speed limit was max 45 MPH. No freeways, gas was .10 a gal when the gas wars were on. Reclaimed oil went in for a new batch of mud. Min wage was like ummm! Hell there wasn't a minimum wage back then! Bread was .20 a loaf and we had ferries to get us to North Island. Now San Fran has them. haha! Fitting to if you ask me. Oh no! That would be fairies wouldn't it!! First hand calculator I ever saw cost 460.00 bucks. I was totally amazed and couldn't live without one. Now you can get one that is better for a buck sixty nine at 7/11. Oh yeah! No 7/11's back then either. My main interest in life back then was hunting . These days I have a rat we poisoned and he's dying an agonizing death out there and I'm seriously considering taking him to the vet! Now I got the internet, and a cable bill that add up to more than my first house payment was. And a jeep worth more than my first house cost me all together!

I used to be able to just pull over on the side of the road and have all my guns with me and a huge fire a blazing. Just waiting for the sun to come up so's I could go hunting . Geez! I think we wiped out half the animals in the county back then. There was a bounty on Bob cat's Mountain lions and coyote's back then to. When deer season was in I used to walk into the local lodge with my 44 mag on my hip and nobody even noticed it. Hell everybody had side arms on back then, Now! Ha! Forget it man!

There wasn't no such animal as air conditioning, much less OBA. All gas stations had attendants that ran out and cleaned your windows and checked your oil etc while you sat there and then handed then 2.50 for filling up the tank. You didn't need no stinking electric shop to diagnose an engine failure. In my case it usually from not having any gas of course. There wasn't any credit cards back then either. Imagine that huh! Used to hop on the bus when I was 6 yr's old and go to the SD zoo and beach (alone) and was never molested. Dang it! Everybody's mom stayed home and threatened to tell dad what an asshole you were all day as soon as the old man's truck drove up. Of course you turned into a perfect angel when the big assed truck drove in. A smack on the noggin back then would get you jail time these days. Jack Benny and Amos and Andy were listened to on this huge assed radio we had. Where I live right now used to be where the Army was kept in tents and Quonset hut's while waiting to be shipped over seas for the big WW11. We lived about 3 miles from where I'm sitting right now. Super Man wasn't in a wheel chair. There were horney toads all over the dammed place. Now, nada! Not one!! Nobody ever heard of taking an animal to the dammed vet. Hell ya cured em or ate em back then. My favorite hang out was the local dairy. Now I own a business on the same piece of property where that dairy used to be. When I was an apprentice carpenter I remember telling a bunch of old rag tag journeymen that I heard about this new thing that was going to revolutionize the trade. A skill saw. They laughed their asses off! Their all dead and I own several Skill Saws. I was kicked out of the union so many times for whispering the safety word....."Communist" that I can't even remember how many times now. The Union is dead. I'm a contractor. Non Union of course.

It sure was a different place back then. When winter came it freakin rained man! My dad would be out of work for weeks on end if working outside. He was a top notch carpenter back then and made 45 bucks a week. Four of us in the family and we had a new house full of furniture and a car and my dad's truck. Never remember needing anything either. Stuff was pretty cheap back then and a dollar was pretty much worth .90 cent's. Inflation? What the hell was was that? It was a big event to sit and listen to Roosevelt on that big radio. There wasn't any Play boy mag's. Comic book's were scarce as all get out. A trip to the beach which takes me 20 minutes to do now through a dammed metropolis of over priced Hotels, took three hours back then through a bunch of dairies and farmland. You could actually smell the beach from miles off too. Now of course they pick up all the sea weed and dead bodies every day. And the Mexican's sewer system run's right into the San Diego river so when it rain's very hard all the crap comes floating into the ocean and they post signs to stay out or get diphtheria or something. Course if you hang out on the beach your likely to get stuck with a syringe and die of some horrible death anyways so ya might just as well go surfing. There weren't many tourists back then either. A lot of industrial places spewing out all kinds of Smokey crap. Now...bazillions of tourists and all the industries are clean computer chip co's and so forth and so on. Discussing man! We once had a huge tuna fleet. They're all registered in Mexico now though. You know, we need room for the great big liners to take all the retired folk down to Mexico to view our fishing fleet. Of course the cannery is no longer in existence either. Took all day to go to LA from San Diego. On a two lane road they called slaughter alley. I'll let you guess why. There were no escalators at the zoo. You walked through what would now be described as a common place for a rape to occur. It was like a dense forest in there. Now I belong to the Zoological Society and pay dues every freaking year. What's up with that noise anyways? Oh well, it's my favorite spot in town so what the hey huh!! And when you went shopping, oh my! What an ordeal that was. Had to drive all the way into San Diego which took forever and back. I hated going shopping. I wasn't real fond of leaving the house at all come to think of it. I remember looking out this big window we had in the front of the house and seeing what's now Fletcher Hills. All it was then was a bunch of eucalyptus trees on the hill far off and scared the bejeesus out of me. My older brothers took me biking once on the st I live on now that was a dirt road then. I was terrified of leaving the house anyways but they decided I needed to get out and see the world. I was 2. One bro 8 and the other was 13 yr's my senior. So, we start getting farther and farther from the house. There was like only three houses in 5 miles anyway but I could feel the house =drifting away from me until we got to this huge grove of eucalyptus trees. Exactly where I live today. They were real thick and were being grown to replace rail road ties. Which didn't work of course because they were to brittle. Hold on! I'm loosing my train of thought already. Ha! Like I had one!!! So these two pecker heads got me stuffed in a basket on the front of one of the bikes and I'm leering into those very dark and very close together trees. Looked like to me there had to unknown terrible monsters in there and decide to scream my ass of that I wanted to go home to mommy! They kept going. I kept screaming. Finally the sadistic bastids turned around not being able to concentrate on the road with all my carrying on's. When we got back they told my mother some crap about me being a big dammed sissified baby sucking teddy bear licking punk assed dickwad and never wanted to take me anywhere again. and of course, they never did. Much to my great joy I might add. I mean they were ruffians and scoundrels and I just deem it necessary to have to put up with their tom foolery. Hey! Would you have? heck no!!

I dearly loved that house. Felt safe in it. Once when my granny was baby sitting (ha! Like I needed a sitter, I'm so sure) we were sitting on the front porch. Like they did back then before worrying about getting blown away by gangland bandito's. anyways, sheesh! I digress once again....... Granny is knitting a doily and I'm standing there next to the rail in my diapers. and nothing else. All of the sudden the earth began to shake so hard it tossed me off the porch and onto my little noggin. I of course was absolutely mystified as to WTF that was!! I probably was getting ready to cry like hell from being terrified but, Old granny never looked up from her task at hand. I think I was about three or something. And yes gaddambit I was still wearing diapers! Anyways, I climb back up on the porch and ask granny what was that? She calmly said...and earthquake, withought ever looking up. So, naturally I took it in stride and never got to excited about it. Wasn't until years later that I realized what a tuff old woman she was.

Well, when I was 4 years old my rent's decide to move into the city of which I unobtrusively and totally with no reservations hated with a passion. Never had on a pair of shoe and never thought I needed any dadbalme it! Well except for my trusty Roy Rogers cowboy boot's. I think I still have them somewhere if Ralph didn't eat them that one time I forgot to feed him. Anyways we move into a new house next to a bunch of canyons and very few houses there then. It's a freaking down homeboy ghetto today however. I had to start school the next year and man did I ever hate that! I attribute it to never wanting anybody ever to be able to tell me what to do or when to do it. The only reason I ever wanted to grow up was just for that reason. I pd a lot of dues for that attitude but I'm afraid it's still a major priority in my life. still causing me major problems too! It's a bitch being right all the time when your wrong most of the time. Anyway "obviously I was not a good student all through my school years. Most of what I learned was from experience and believe me it was hard on my young ass sometimes/ Hahaha! I still did it my way and still do and whoever don't like it can well, take a flying leap at a holess doughnut for all I care. I was raised by men to be a man and much to their dismay that's exactly the way I played it. I know my mother spent more time in my school than I did trying to get me out of one kind of trouble of one kind or another. But she never admitted that I was wrong in anything. To them at least. I got my ass smacked plenty at home for some of the shenanigans I pulled. But my rent's always stood up for me right or wrong. Not quite sure what that did to me for forming my personality

but haha! It worked out. Funny thing is, I never not once got kicked out or was sent home from school for the stunts I pulled. Today they'd have me in the federal pen!! Always figured out a way to either charm or bullshit my way through the problem. And man I had a bunch of them. Or I should say others had a bunch of them with me. Personally I thought I was doing great after being dragged like a wild screaming dog faced refugee to town like that. Never did quite take to the city.

Once in the 9th grade when I decided I could whip the woodshop/math and my councilors ass they called my mom up to come get me. haha! This guy wasn't afraid of me even though I was pretty dammed big by then and was working on a full fledged carpenter crew every weekend. Hell I figured I could take the big galute so what the hell! he deserved it for screwing with me for three years I figured. Anyways it was only a week before graduation and I'd be off to high school and out of their hair. They already skipped me a grade to get me out of elementary school. ha ! I was a pisser!! So anyway I'm expecting mom to show up and dammed if dad didn't show up with her. The teach and me went around for a while and he was still threatening me with a chair in the principles office much to the chagrin of the principle since I was not backing down taking my shot's when I could. He finally got the teach out of there just before dad walked in. And it's a dammed good thing because dad wouldn't have taken to kindly to that brute picking on his youngest and brightest child I'm sure. Dad was a little ruff at times ya know. He was ummm! Real tuff I guess you could say and didn't put up with no shit ever. So the principle tells me to go sit down in the other room while he, my mom and dad have a chat about me. Well my dad tells him if that's why were here to chat about my son he's going to be in here too! By this time I was not liking my chances of ever actually graduating from JR high with all my legs and arms and shit in tact but, I walked right in there like king freaking Kong anyway. Not a quiver a showing in my lower lip that my dad used to accuse me of dropping when I whimpered just before he was about to give me something to whimper about. So there we all sit. The principle was definitely not expecting dad. He was used to dealing with women but wisent to fond of dealing with mom because because she was tougher (and still at 94 is) than the average bear. The principle told my dad what happened and how it happened. Dad sat there calmly and waited until old 4 eyes was done. Then promptly looked directly at me and ask me point blank if all this was true. Now dad had taught me many years ago that no matter what, to never admit to any dammed thing even if they saw you do it. I've pretty much lived by that credo ever since too! I look him straight in the eye (knowing that he knew I was flat assed lying my face off) and said nope! Didn't happen that way at all! Not knowing exactly what the hell to do or how to act I put on the old "and I ain't kidding face" We sat there...him staring at me....me staring at him......my mom hoping it would all turn out ok being that my dad could become very nasty if anybody messed with his boy's...the principle was I'm sure totally flabbergasted at the whole thing. But didn't say a word while me and dad stared. Pop had these dammed clear blue eyes that resembled a wolf when he stared too! Damb that was spooky now that I think about it. But no way was I bending. All of the sudden dad get's up and tells mom to go get in the car. Oh shit is he gonna kill the dumb bastard I'm thinking to myself! But he does something I've seen him do a few times in some very hairy situations.......he walks over to the principles desk and putt's these dammed big gorilla hands down and get's real close up. I'm sure the geek is absolutely shitting himself by now and I know my dad could brake out laughing at any moment but he doesn't. Waits a few seconds and says to the principle in a very low voice, if I ever hear of that teacher (the teacher tried to kill me a couple of time in the three years I was there. No kidding once with a hammer in shop) even looking at my son again I'm coming back in here and take the guy out. And I'm going to start out with you. Stood up told me to get in the car and was walked out. As usual when I was in a jamb and dad had to come get me I clammed up tighter than drum. He never said another word about and neither did I until the last day of school. But that's another story.............................He got me out of Juvenal hall once for open containers when I was 17. Picked me up and never said word one. Got home, he handed me the keys to the car and he walked in the house. I was flabbergasted of course but got in the car and went over to my girls house. Never said another word about it and neither did he. Went to the can one time when I was 21. Alcohol related of course. Shore enough. Called me to the front and there stands dad. I look at him, he looks at me and smiles and we go out to the car. Where he notices a parking ticket for parking in a sheriff's spot. hahaha! I look at him....he glares at me. Nuff said!! My dad is gone now, but I can tell you that I've never met anybody in my whole life that I respected more than I did him. For the way he taught me to deal with situations to his personal handling of my total ineptness at being a human being at times. He really never had to say a word to teach me what I needed to know to survive and prosper in life. There were so many that thought I was going to end up in prison or worse, but mom and dad somehow knew I they had done their job well and by cracky I think they did too! All the goody two shoes that thought I was going to end up in a bad way are either dead, alcoholics or dope addicts, or worse.. I took my time and accomplished so much in my life do to their good since in bringing me around to the point that I finally used my good sense. One thing that always bothered me was that my dad always told me the older I got the smarter he would get. Hahahaha! By the time I figured out WTF he meant and figured out that he would always be older and smarter he was gone. No one worse thing that ever happened to me. He was steel, couldn't believe he would ever be gone. Of course as long as I'm alive he'll never really be gone. He was very tuff but always smiling. At time most men would have caved in and in fact some did and committed suicide over some things that happened with a co they all had. My dad lost everything and never ever quit smiling through the whole sorted mess. I of course was loading guns and going hunting for scoundrel's but not him. Everybody loved the old geezer too! Damb he was a good guy. Wish he was still around because he would have never left my garage and oh man! I can't even imagine the jeep he would have! he was a master craftsman too! Hell he was a master at all things. I have long ago quit trying to emulate him because there was truly only one of him. The mold went south when he left.

I know we got way off subject but dammit, my mind wonders to much sometimes. I hope that all you people out there that have parents that you love keep in touch and take advantage of the time you have with them because you never know when they are going to take that last trip down destiny's road. There really is no room for petty bullshit I see so often between people and their loved ones. By the time you figure it out. Your kids are trying to figure it out and your people are gone.

Holly shit! I sure didn't mean to get off on all that. Where the hell was I anyways? Oh yeah! Today vs. yesterday...... Well, you young guys don't have a clue just like us older guys didn't and your kids won't either so life goes on as it always has. Thank God that each generation seems to be in the know much sooner than I was and hopefully they can live a better life than I have and am!

I am really debating whether I should even send this to the list. I'm sort of stuck on stupid right smack dab in the middle of it all right now. Oh what the hell! I'll finish up these episodes in the life and time of yours truly by telling you a little story about that dammed teacher that wanted to kill me. Change of mood is needed man ! At least by me..........

So, I do actually graduate and go on to Hoover high. I get my license that I lost many times due to stupidity which by that age I was getting to think was a way of life. Fun fun fun, that was the ticket back then for me.

I had a 1957 Ford fairlane convertible and was the cat's meow man. I went to a school where there was money involved so most of the kid's had new cars and we had some swinging assed party's a goin on. I, on the other hand had 92 dollar a month payments and worked most weekends and at night's to keep up with the sosh crowd. Don't get me wrong, I was friends with everybody in that school. Nerd sosh, car freaks girls guys gays and you name it. Fortunately I learned early on from some of my own experiences of being left out that I vowed never to do it to anybody else. Which is one reason I was always in so much trouble. Fighting for the little guys seemed to be a hobby I picked up early. Cost me a lot of friends but, can you really lose a true friend? I think not, So, I never lost a friend as far as I'm concerned. sure have gone through a bunch of acquaintances though. In a way I became a loner to a certain respect. Never wavered in my loyalty to friends and didn't give a hoot if that loyalty was returned. Mainly because after a lot of grief with myself I figured out that I was being loyal to myself and outside influences had no bearing on whether I was who I wanted to be. Goddammit! I lost the story line again. ok ok! Back on track.. Anyways I was tooling down the road after school one fine afternoon and I'm afraid I was still a little stubborn about my previous actions and reactions with that dammed teacher. I have a convertible full of girls with the top down and I see his electrical truck in front of me on Orange ave. Didn't say a word to anybody and I just ain't sure what hit me although I have to admit, I was very very wild in those days. The sky was the limit!! Hold on! The wife is calling me upstairs. Haha! Me who never wanted to be told shit huh! Discusting isn't it. BRB! Holy crap! She went and got her dammed hair cut and dyed red. Oh well, it'll mach Pokey if I can get her to wear chrome ear rings.

Anyways I'm coming down the road in traffic and see the tech. He see's me too! He scowl's at me and freaking run him off the road in his panel truck all the way up onto a porch and haul ass laughing like hell. The people with me failed to see the humor in it however. Especially when I look in the rear view mirror and dammit man! This dick is chasing me!! haha! There is no doubt I could've cleaned his clock by then but I guess down deep I knew I was dead wrong and being totally immature. Not enough to admit it to myself just yet though. I did the peddle to the meddle thing and didn't see him again until I was 23. I'm 6'4" and I was framing for a long time by then and was 240 lb's no fat. And of course I could kill 90 Frenchmen with one hand and all that rot. I had by this time grown up quite a bit and had always hated any kind of a bully which of course I was in the position to be at this point. Just so happens I was framing a wall next to the street and it was real hot. I had my shirt off and was sweating like a stuck pig. I stand up and am looking right smack dab in the eye of this old teacher. He was still teaching there and we were only a block from my old school. Now I'm a very friendly sort of guy and usually always say high and shoot the breeze with any old codger that stopped by. But for some reason I didn't say a word to this guy. Didn't realize it was him at first. I'm absolutely sure he didn't recognize me at first. We both just stood there and stared. Me at him and him at the construction. All the sudden he looks up and our eyes meet. We stare directly into each others eyes but say nothing. Seemed like forever. I know I knew him but couldn't exactly put a name to his face. He was older of course and so was I. I didn't look like that scrawny kid he wanted to kill anymore. He looked for the longest time and so did I and it was like "oh yeah I know you" at about the same time. He dropped his head and walked on to school. I resumed my work but couldn't get him out of my mind. That was probably the first time in my life I realized that he was right all along. I was a wild and wholly dumb shit that didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground. Hell I still was but I was starting to catch on to reality a little by then. All of the sudden I was so much feeling like a crumb I couldn't stand it. I always knew that right or wrong, I was unfair to him and it always seemed to bother me to a certain extent. But now! God I felt an urgent need to tell him. funny thing is. I know he knew who I was because he avoided the job like a plague after that. Walked on the other (his side) side of the street and never looked up. Like he was waiting for me to notice or something. That was one of the biggest lessons I ever learned in life. Why! Because he never crossed that street and I had told that story so many times embellishing it each time probably that my goddammed stupid pride at the time wouldn't let me act like a man. And no, even though I thought many times of going to his door long after the job was done I never did. I'll regret it as long as I live too because I know now he has to be totally dead. But I can tell you that situation after many moons of thinking it over changed me forever. Made me one hell of a lot more of a man than I ever thought I could be. You that know what I'm talking about will get it right off. You that don't will some day get it hopefully. In any case, I believe I dropped tons of ego and stubbornness all in a short time back then. Funny how people impact our lives and never know it huh! I wish I'd have been man enough to go give him a big hug and let him know what he already knew. That I was a complete asshole. I've often wondered if he acted like he did because he thought I missed his whole point. What difference does it make really. I just wish he would have known the impact he made on my life before is was over.

you know! What's with all this philosophical horse shit anyways. Hahahaha! There ain't no freakin way I'm sending this to no stinking list. But I sure had a good time talking to myself. Dammit! I feel like dad's peeking over my shoulder right now. heh heh! Saying...send it so what!! And I just may do that.

Bud Boren