"It was the best of times,It was the worst of Times."

I was talking with my wife the other day regarding supper. It was the normal discussion about what we would have. We had some catfish in the freezer and my wife suggested we have that. Sounded good to me and that is what we agreed upon. This discussion did bring back a memory from the past. When I was a child anytime we had fried seafood of any kind my Dad did the cooking. Not sure why that was but it was. Fried eels,oysters,fish of any kind,clams,scallops or fritters. Like the modern day barbecue that cooking was the mans job. Almost all other items cooked where the ladies domain. Especially baking. Men don't bake . Unless of course it was on an industrial scale. Men owned and run the bakeries. Curious thing there.
Those thoughts brought back the memories of days gone past. The days when everyone knew their roles. It sounds sexist and bigoted but that is the way it was. For the most part men did certain things and women did another. There were always exceptions to the rule of course. These people that were the exceptions were looked upon as being different,for sure,but not always in a negative fashion. Some became Icons in society.
I think it was easier for the average person back then. You knew what was expected of you. There were manly behaviours and lady like behaviours. The lines are a little blurry now. On the plus side,social pressures are not as prevalent now. In recent times the question of Bullies and what to do with them is a hot topic.
In my day we were told to just push back. Avoid conflict it you could but fight if you must. In the words of a famous cowboy," never run from a fight but don't run to one either." Lucas McCain as The Rifleman.
All of it is just what you are used to and comfortable with. The time and place of your upbringing being a major influence. I grew up in the rougher side of town. My people were working class people. Carpenters,mechanics,fishermen,plumbers and the like. Men were men and the ladies were ladies. Know your role ! The white collar crowd was looked upon with suspicion. They wanted your money and would try to take from you any way they could legally do it. It was that crowd that enacted taxes and fees. Sure,we got to vote,but our votes counted for little. The money crowd has the reigns. At least that is what we were told.
That was the climate of my youth. A little bit of Archie Bunker, John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. There was two kinds of music,Country and Western. You went to church on Sunday to get forgiveness for Friday night.
Ladies were to be treated with respect. You married a lady and just dated the others. Behaviours were encouraged and discouraged. It was a simpler time for sure. Whether or not it was a better time is just a matter of perspective. Each of us see our past in a different way. The judgement is your own. The time and place I was raised could not have been better. That is my belief. That time and place is my comfort zone and if possible I would return there. That time and place is gone forever and only lives in my memory. I know this and that is what nostalgia is all about. I go back there all the time.