Sugar and spice? Snips and snails? That’s what little boys and girls are made of? Not my generation, we came from something a little different.

Start with the rock music of Alice Cooper, Bob Seger, Foghat, BTO and more. Disco and its constant nagging, never changing beat.

Add some Mad Dog 2020, Boones Farm, Bartles and Jaymes, and legal drinking at 18.

Heat it with Camaros, Tran Ams, Novas, GTOs, just fast cars!

Just a pinch of Chinatown, The Godfather, The Exorcist, Jaws and American Graffiti on the big screens.

These are the things little boys and girls of the 70s were made of. We approached adulthood with no expectations and some cash in our pockets.

I learned to drink at the tutelage of a smokin’ hot Catholic girl. She was a college girl and was ‘legal’. I was still in high school and not of age.

Drinks of choice included Screwdrivers, Seven Sevens and Tequila Sunrises. We quickly learned that Boones Farm wine was not a good choice.

While most of our generation was under the spell of Disco and Saturday  Night Fever – “Staying Alive, Staying Alive”. We stayed true to Rock N Roll.

Contos, The Lamplighter and The Phonebooth were the main hangs. We occasionally found The Mikatam, The Foxfire, or The Aladin. But never The Embers and its upscale crowd.

She was so fine in her miniskirts, suntan colored Leggs hose and cork bottomed heels. While I approached a level of coolness in my leisure suits, bell bottoms and platform shoes.

Loud music, cheap drinks, smokey interiors and sweaty nights, often led to hot make out sessions in the parking lot. Young and free, thinking we ruled the world.

All of those hangs are gone today. Disco died and Rock has changed. Jeans are just more comfortable. The Hot Catholic girl kept me and finished ‘raising’ me.

No longer young, but still free, ruling our world and still living the dream.

Roy Richard

July 2024