大象传媒

This story is by Joyce Gibson, and has been added to the site with their permission. The author fully understands the site's terms and conditions. The story was collected by Joyce Gibson, transcribed by Elizabeth Lamont and added to the site by Bruce Logan.
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We were born before TV, penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods, Zerox, contact lenses, videos and the pill. We were before radar, credit cards, split atoms, laser beams and ballpoint pens, before dishwashers, tumble driers, electric blankets, air conditioners, drip-dry clothes鈥nd before man walked on the moon.

We got married first and then lived together (how quaint can you be?). We thought 鈥渇ast food鈥� was what you ate in Lent, a 鈥淏ig Mac鈥� was an oversized raincoat and 鈥渃rumpet鈥� we had for tea. We existed before house husbands, computer dating and 鈥渟heltered accommodation鈥� was where you waited for a bus.

We were before day care centres, group homes and disposable nappies. We never heard of FM radio, tape decks, artificial hearts, word processors, or young men wearing earrings. For us 鈥渢ime sharing鈥� meant togetherness, a 鈥渃hip鈥� was a piece of wood or fried potato, 鈥渉ardware鈥� meant nuts and bolts, and 鈥渟oftware鈥� wasn鈥檛 a word.

Before 1940, 鈥淢ade in Japan鈥� meant junk, the term 鈥渕aking out鈥� referred to how you did in your exams, 鈥渟tud鈥� was something that fastened a collar to a shirt and 鈥済oing all the way鈥� meant staying on a double decker bus to the terminus. In our day, cigarette smoking was fashionable, 鈥済rass鈥� was mown, 鈥渃oke鈥� was kept n the coalhouse, a 鈥渏oint鈥� was a piece of mean you ate on Sundays and 鈥減ot鈥� was something you cooked it in. 鈥淩ock music鈥� was a fond mother鈥檚 lullaby, a 鈥済ay person鈥� was the life and soul of the party, while 鈥渁ids鈥� just meant beauty treatment or help for someone in trouble.

We who were born before 1940 must be a hardy bunch when you think of the way in which the world has changed and the adjustments we have had to make. No wonder there is a generation gap today 鈥� but 鈥� by the Grace of God, we have survived!

(Paraphrased from Mr. Bridge鈥檚 Tea Towel)

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