Generation of survivors

10:30am Thursday 7th February 2008

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FOR those born before 1940, we were born before television, penicillin, polio-shots, frozen foods, Xerox, contact lenses, videos, frisbees, freebies and the pill.

We lived before the radar, credit cards, split atoms, laser beams and ballpoint pens. Before dishwashers, tumble dryers, electric blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry clothes and before man walked on the moon.

We got married first and then lived together.

We existed before househusbands, computer dating, dual careers.

We had never heard of FM radio, tape decks, electric typewriters, artificial hearts, word processors, yogurt and men wearing earrings. For us time sharing' meant togetherness, a chip was a piece of wood or a fried potato, hardware meant nuts and bolts and software wasn't a word.

Before 1940 Made In Japan' meant junk, the term making out' referred to how you did in your exams, a stud was something that fastened a collar to a shirt and going all the way' meant staying on a double decker bus until it reached the depot. Pizzas, MacDonalds and instant coffee were unheard of. In our day cigarettes and smoking was fashionable; grass was mown, coke was kept in a coalhouse, a joint was a piece of meat you had on Sundays and pot was something you cooked it in. Rock music was a grandmother's lullaby, El Dorado was an ice cream, a gay person was the life and soul of the party.

A porn shop was a pawn shop, a handkerchief was a coat sleeve. A disc jockey was a National Hunt rider with a back injury. The recycling unit was known as the rag and bone man. An alarm was known as a knocker up.

Debt and illegitimacy were secrets. Central heating was an oven plate or a firebrick wrapped in a blanket. A duvet was your dad's overcoat. A kitchen unit was known as a slopstone.

We who were born before 1940 must be a hardy bunch when you think of the ways in which the world has changed and the adjustments we have had to make. No wonder we are confused and there is a generation gap.

But by the grace of God we have survived - hallelujah.

ALF CLEMO Orford