I wonder if today’s childhood is sometimes too quiet.
Although any parent stuck at home during this plague with anyone under the age of 12 will disagree, and my three grandboys can raise the roof with the best of them, and there's nothing like twin 2 year-olds for noise.Yesterday afternoon on the way to the mailbox, I yanked Mamie into a driveway before we were broadsided by an 8ish boy on roller blades. He had sneaked up on us as quietly as an electric car. It set me musing about my hours (and hours) on old-fashioned roller skates.
Those metal wheels on the cement sidewalk gave off the most satisfying roar and told anyone in a two-block radius that I was coming.
When my kids were little, they had Big Wheels. These were low-slung plastic trikes that did really amazing 90 degree turns and were incredibly loud. A herd of grade-schoolers racing down the sidewalk sounded like an incoming army.
I was a reader (big surprise), spending long stretches inside working my way through Mrs. Piggle Wiggle or The Water Babies, but I was also outside playing football in the side yard or galloping around with a cap pistol that gave off real bangs.
But what goes around comes around. Our son sent us a picture of the twins in his old Radio Flyer wagon. I can still hear the rattle as it rolled along and the clunk of the metal pull handle hitting the sidewalk when we’d arrived.
We had roller skates with metal wheels, too, but we lived on a dirt road!
ReplyDeleteTwice as difficult - all it probably took was a small stone to send you flying. I'm very impressed.
DeleteWhen my son was young, he was a member of what we called the gang of six. Six preschool boys would roar down the sidewalks and spin into the parent imposed last driveway. I remember the noise and purchasing several new big wheels due to tire failure.😍
ReplyDeleteYup. They rode 'em loud and they rode 'em hard.
DeleteOh, I remember those roller skates, too. They were lots of fun and as you reminded me, noisy in a good way! :-)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, I remember those roller skates. Very, very loud. As were my wails. I came off them spectacularly more than once. And still carry a scar or two.
ReplyDeleteMany of my childhood ploys were quiet - but by no means all. And my elder brothers more than made up for it.
Hot wheels were whizzing wonderful. So was that big red ball with a handle. You sat on it (child and parent alike!) and bounced. Outdoor toys could make all the noise in the world. I took every noise maker out of indoor toys.
ReplyDeleteI have one of those little red wagons now, I thought I was buying a bigger one when I ordered it, to use for carting garden supplies to and from the shed, but it is child sized and the handle is too short for comfortable pulling. I may give it to a neighbour who has a baby boy almost toddler size.
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