One of my grandsons that is studying virtually this year had an assignment last week to compare and contrast two different subjects. I thought this might be interesting so I decided that I too, would do some paralleling of something that is so familiar to me but yet miles apart, the fifties and now.
I grew up in the fifties, the best decade to be a teenager. The music played at the sock hops were fantastic and the clothes, wow, just wow! We used to have dances at the old National Guard Armory on weekends. We didn’t usually bring a date, maybe sometimes, but we just had a good time, and we all danced with everybody. We wore our full skirts, coming to our knees or longer, with all those petticoats under neath to make them stand out and our slips to show as we twirled and danced. And the guys, well, they all wore washed out jeans, white tee shirts and black leather jackets. Some of the “bad boys” even wore biker boots. Not too many smoked but nearly all of them had the cigarette package rolled into their short sleeve of their tee shirt. We were chaperoned usually by a teacher and there was no “dirty dancing”, or “bumping”, or “stick to me like glue” dances. But that was fine because we had the Twist, Bop, Mashed Potato, The Stroll, and so many more. Of course, we had slow dancing, but we were always told that we needed to be able to get another person between us. Really?
The group of girls on my street met and walked to school every day as we discussed our homework, parents’ rules, and of course, boyfriends. None of us had a car and it never crossed our minds we were missing anything. I grew up, as they did, in a middle-class family and as I said, I never knew we were living payday to payday. Until I got old enough and yes, there were “mean girls” back in the fifties and sixties but sometimes you grow from some of the unpleasant happenings. My friends that I still have back from then laugh at the absurdity of it now and realize teenagers really are all the same no matter the generation.
The main thing I was telling my grandson was that we never locked the doors and that we never had a gun in a bedside table, maybe in the corner standing ready to squirrel hunt. We were never afraid of break-ins or robberies because none of us had lots to take. Drugs always settled at the bottom of our tea pitcher and pot was something you cooked in or kept in the bathroom. We played outside after dark, with only the streetlights dim shine, never afraid one of us would be taken or hurt in any way.
You have heard people say, “These were the good old days.” Well, they were, especially for me. Times are changing so fast now that we barely have time to stop and ‘dance to the music’.
This food may sound really unpleasant to some of you, but this was one of our “go to” Sunday dinners when I was growing up.
Turnip Greens, Ham Hocks, and Sweet Potatoes
You will need a big pot. Put your butter-greased sweet potatoes in the oven to bake when you begin your ham hocks. Bake for at least an hour and fifteen minutes.
This is a meal in itself but I use a few ham hocks but mostly just good lean ham. Begin by boiling about 6-8 good ham hocks until nearly done. Add the washed greens with a few turnips, and about 2 pounds of thick sliced ham. Salt and pepper and I add a little red pepper flakes. Cover the pot and cook on low for about an hour. Serve with hot crunchy cornbread. It really takes me back to Mama’s table.
