In this age of hi tech computerized games and gadgets, comprised of micro chips and mini-circuit boards adorned in ergonomically designed colored plastic overcoats, I sometimes pause and reflect on simpler times. The first electrically operated game I encountered in my youth was the big gaudy four legged pinball machine down at Frank Langer's candy store. It flashed multi-colored lights and made both bussing and ding-ding sounds whenever I fed it nickels. A spring loaded plunger was pulled back and then released sending a small chrome plated ball rolling toward a number of possible point scoring areas on the board. The only physical exercise you got while playing was from nudging and pushing the sides of the wooden case until the machine registered "Tilt" in bright red letters before shutting down.

Before the advent of television, the elegant wood encased radio that graced our living room reigned as the ultimate source of information and entertainment, and the words and sounds it deliverd helped create the unique images each of us formed in our mind. When television arrived, it left nothing to the imagination. We gained a picture, but lost a valuable asset.

I always chuckle whenever people mention their new DVD's. The image of a new brand of underwear comes to mind when I hear it.

Reflecting on simpler times, many boyhood memories crowd my mind. I remember my neighborhood pals, the regular games we played and those we created ourselves. Lacking the state of the art sporting equipment available today we made our own fun with what we had and what we could make ourselves. One orginal game my brother Ray came up with was "Please God Keep Me Running."
The first thing we did was gather a gang of neighborhood kids in our big backyard. There was Jimmy Elliot, Dick Elliot, Vince Small, Billy Hundly, Ray Foley and myself. Each player took a position somewhere near the center of the yard and knelt down on one knee. The idea of the game was for one player to suddenly rise up and start running around the yard shouting "Please God Keep Me Running," while the rest of us would try to tackle and bring him down. If the pursued plsyer was brought down or needed a rest. he would again assume the kneeling position until someone else decided to give it a try. The one who could keep running the longest was the winner. As I write this, I can't help thinking that this simple little game is sort of a metaphor for the way we all journey through life... I'll keep that thought.

Another game we played called "Touch," is still popular today. At least four players are needed to play touch football. If we really got lucky we could round up six neighborhood kids, one of whom owned a scuffy old football that always needed air. My pal, Bobby Poskitt, and I always wound up on the same team which worked out well since we both could run fast and throw a pass that often found a receiver... but not always the right one. I remember the first time Poskitt introduced a hot new strategy called the " Statue of Liberty Play." His version was to receive the ball, fade back, and raise the ball high as if it was about to be thrown. The oposing team would charge in expecting a pass play only to have the ball carrier tuck the ball under his arm at the last second and attempt a run down the sideline. I think it did worked a few times.

During the summer months we spent a lot of time at the School #1 playground playing "One Bounce Stickball." This was the, bare essentials, game since the only equipment needed was a tennis ball and an old broom handle to use as a bat. There were many variations of this game depending on the number of players available, but most of the standard rules of baseball applied, the only difference being that the pitched ball had be bounced once during its delivery to the batter.

Looking back, I think we did all right in that brief faded fragment of time that was our youth. We engaged ourselves in activities that fostered social interaction and in physical sports that kept us lean and required us to learn to give and take. Yeah, we did good.

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