..reminiscing about the days before we “all” had cellphones? (Or iPods
or SMS, if you’re even younger?)
Kottke’s
childhood memories of TV feature Doctor
Who, VCR tapes, and a tuna “hot dish” with lots of noodles
stewing in Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup.
That brings back memories–of the tuna hot dish, that is–my mom’s
recipe was identical.
But
my childhood TV memories don’t include VCRs or scifi doctors. In 1952
or thereabouts, my family’s very first TV arrived–also the first TV in
our neighborhood. My favorite show featured cowboy Gabby
Hayes
and Quaker cereals–“They’re shot from guns!” Gabby ended each show by
firing a cannon-full of puffed wheat at the camera. I was just about
six–and not only would I obey his warning to “Stand back away from your televisionary set”,
but we four Devine kids would hide behind couches and chairs as soon as
Gabby wheeled his cannon out.
A bit later in my TV-watching career, I was quite disappointed when Big
Brother Bob Emory announced that his show would be in color from now
on. My mom later explained that Big Brother Bob wasn’t lying, even
though his show still was still black and white. Only people who bought
a new kind of TV that showed color would see any change.
A TV set that showed color? “Who,” asked my mother, “would want to
waste money on that?”
So how did my family end up with a
color TV? Let’s just say that my dad would have loved an
iPod….