09/06/2023
“And if you don’t know now you know”
I was born in NYC ( L.E.S. to be exact), The area code was (212) and then they added (718) in 1984. Cell phones did not exist, and beepers came in the late 80’s early 90’s. On the streets, all you had was payphones for $.10 a call $.25 in 1984
We had designer clothes. Most came from Alexander’s, Sears, VIMs, Korvettes, Macy's, Cesar's Bay, etc.... We wore what our parents brought us, or we worked to get what we wanted.
Shopping was on Fulton St., 34th St., 14th St., the Bronx on 3rd Ave., Fordham Road & Delancy Street.
$3.50 heros with salt, pepper, oil, and vinegar with a .25 cent tropical fantasy or a can of soda.
$1 got you a bag of chips, Hostess cake of your choice, a tropical fantasy, a quarter-juice, some gum, a pack of sunflower seeds, and don’t forget the .01 penny candy Shoe laces, Coins and Swedish Fish!!!
If you had $5, Yooooo, you was lit - FACTS!!! Get a slice for $1 or $1.50, if you wanted extra cheese or pepperonis. Beef patty w/ Coco bread for $2, an order of chicken wings and french fries for $2.50. And you got six chicken wings too!
When you got home from school, you took your bookbag off, took your school clothes off, did your homework as soon as you walked in, and went right back outside.
We played Handball, Paddleball, Stickball, punchball, ManHunt, Tag, Freeze Tag, DodgeBall, Hide N Seek, Basketball, Football, Skelly, Kickball, Hopscotch, Double-dutch ( for some people).
We were in the streets all day. Staying in the house was a punishment!! In the summer, we cracked open the fire hydrants, and in the winter, we had snowball fights.
TV was everything on Friday night and Saturday morning cartoons. We watched Charlie’s Angels, Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman, Kung Fu movies, Dallas and Scooby-Doo, Speed Racer, Gigantor, School House Rock and Magilla Gorilla...
We didn’t need tv remotes. We were the tv remote controls 😆.
The internet came around, but we still were in the streets, but when AOL & Aim came up it was a go ..... with 17 different screen names🤣🤣
Bored??? Ha! We rode anywhere in the city by train, bus, cab, or we walked it.
Your block stoop or your building hallway was legendary in the whole hood. We weren't AFRAID OF ANYTHING!!
We played until the street lights came on, and if you had a curfew, your momma called your entire name out the window.
The school was mandatory, and the cool teachers made it fun. We watched our mouths around our elders as best we could because everyone knew you and who your parents were. They would make sure to let your parents know they had to say something to you because you was out here wilding out.
These were the good ole days. I loved my childhood...!!!
Kids these days will never understand how we grew up!!!
❤️**Good Times** ❤️
Copy & Paste if this is how you grew up!"
