I can remember when age sixty was old. My mom died when she was sixty. Her father died when he was sixty. Having just turned sixty this summer, well… you start to think about those things.

Old is a relevant thing. My St. Cloud, Florida friend and neighbor, Charlie Barcio is 105 years old, and he is just as sharp as guys a third his age.

We can thank medical science for extending life expectancy. The pace of change is so great today. I can remember when it took five minutes for a television to warm up. I can remember when everybody had a huge antenna on top of their houses.

I can remember when nobody owned a pure bred dog. I can remember when kids not only worked but they were expected to. Now we have child labor laws. I can remember when they threatened to keep a kid back if he failed in school- and then did.

I can remember when no one had air conditioning in their home, only attic fans. And speaking of air, I can remember when it was free at the local gas station and the attendant not only pumped the gas for you, but he also checked your tires and under the hood. And they also gave you green stamps when you bought gas.

I can remember when there was only AM radio and nobody had a facemask on a football helmet. I can remember when toothpaste was in metal tubes. I can remember when Cracker Jacks had a very good prize in the box. I can remember when only dead Presidents had sideburns. I can remember when ole Doc Liverman came to our home to check on me for Chicken Pox ten minutes after my mom called him.

I can remember playing tag or hide-and-go-seek on a summer evening. I can remember catching lightening bugs in a jar and how we pinched off the glowing end and put it on your finger like a ring.

I can remember when you always hung your clothes on a line to dry. I can remember roller skates with keys, coonskin caps, hula hoops, 45 records, cherry cokes, penny loafers, drive-in movies, playing jacks and monopoly and penny candy.

I can remember when Pepsi hit the spot and 12 full ounces was a lot. I can remember when a double-dip was only a dime and when there were things that cost a nickel at the 5 & 10 Cents Store. I remember when Roy Rogers was my hero, and we could get into a Saturday morning movie in my home town of Lexington, SC for only a nickel.

I can remember when we drank water from a pump, and a joint was a bad place. I can remember when teachers used switches and nobody dared talk back or you would get a whipping at school and another when you go home.

I can remember when my banker actually knew my name and I did not have to provide ID. I can remember when men would stand when a lady entered the room. I can remember when Japan made junk and the US made quality; now the roles seem to have reversed.

I can remember when the Dodgers were in Brooklyn, and we got to see the Yankees play every weekend on television. I can remember when the good guys won. I even remember when it was okay to give candy to children, and it did not have to be Halloween.

I can remember when I knew the lyrics to every song on the radio. I can remember when black and white television was the only television and you were lucky if you picked up two channels. I remember sitting on the front porch and counting cars and betting on the over/under. I remember the milk man delivering chocolate milk to our house from the local dairy.

I remember bedtime, climbing trees, a zillion mosquito bites and sticky fingers. I remember threatening to run away from home and making it to my grandparent’s house (right next door).

I remember playing cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians, pillow fights and being tickled to death. I remember laughing so hard your stomach hurt.

I can remember all these things and so many more. Life was nice during simpler times.