Gary Brown shocked to find precious memories so distant

Gary Brown
| Special for the cantonal reference system

“Do you want to feel old?”

Social media posts of past life highlights have left us with a sad question. Do I want to feel like an old crouton? Not really. Does anyone? Can we allow me to feel young today? Maybe trick me into thinking I’m still 20? That would be nice. It seems pretty painless. I wouldn’t cough as much and I wouldn’t have to go to the bathroom as often. Yeah, 25 would be a nice age to feel right now.

Yet the opportunity to feel old, since the position offered an opportunity to renew memories, was appealing.

“Bonanza was created 64 years ago.”

It was one of my favorite TV shows. But this is where my memory takes a disappointing turn. All the stars have died. Even Little Joe, who seemed so young even when I was young. The last of the “Cartwrights” left this world in 1987. That doesn’t make me feel old. I almost feel dead.

I have moved on to what may well be the afterlife. Eternity, apparently, may be full of things that are nice to remember, but that remind you that you are two generations past many of the things you loved in life.

The second item on the list, posted to the 1960s Memories Facebook page by DoYouRemember.com, sparked a similar sentiment. “The Beatles broke up 54 years ago.”

Two of them are no longer with us, so that didn’t help. I see the light at the end of the tunnel and a train is coming towards me.

“Elvis has been dead for 46 years. He would be 88 today,” says another item on the list, adding Jimmy Hendrix and Janis Joplin who have been dead for 53 years. John Lennon died 43 years ago.”

A worrying trend is developing. We all have to go there someday. It was nice knowing you.

Favorite TV Shows Are Old

“The Mustang is 59 years old.”

OK, before any of you contact me to correct the age of this post and the ones above, I already know. A comment below the post informed me of the age differences.

“The Mustang came out in 1964, which makes it 60 years old,” the commenter said, noting that this list was apparently compiled in 2023. “Add a year to each of them.”

Done. And damn. Now I’m even older.

“Laugh-In was created almost 56 years ago. »

“Sock it to me,” as the people on the show said.

“The Brady Bunch was created 54 years ago,” the post recalls, adding that “the triplets of ‘My Three Sons’ would also be 54 years old.

“Tabitha from Bewitched is 59 years old.”

The smiling child is no longer a child. We neither.

“The Ed Sullivan Show ended 51 years ago.”

All four Beatles, including the two who are now dead, made their American debut with Ed Sullivan. I was in elementary school at the time.

Eighth grade graduation was decades ago.

Feel a moment of renewal

One of my favorite sports cars is also old.

“The Corvette turned 70 this year.”

As I said, that’s 71.

“Back to the Future is 39,” while “Saturday Night Fever is 46.” Can disco really go that far? Time to get rid of my bright floral shirt and leisure suit.

Mickey Mantle retired 55 years ago.

He’s gone now too. And I miss him. That should make me sad.

But I smile as I recall the fond memories of watching the Commerce Comet play as a kid, or listening to their games on a transistor radio.

Turns out some things don’t make you feel old. They help you feel young again.

Contact Gary at [email protected]. On Twitter: @gbrownREP.