Closed

  Seems to me life has changed since we stopped living in the kitchen. Perhaps that transition began with the arrival of those Swanson Tv dinners in 1953, incidentally the same year I was born. TV trays moved us from that kitchen table to sit before the boob tube. Granted we still had Walter Cronkite and David Brinkley keeping us informed but it's my feeling discussion among the family members was greatly reduced. Be quiet, I'm trying to listen to the news. Gone was the sharing of our days over the mashed potatoes and fried chicken. Wasn't long after that the living room disappeared, replaced by the family room. Ironically named, in my opinion.

 I can only write about my own experiences in life, I haven't experienced yours, but growing up life centered around the kitchen. We did all sit together at the table at meal time. I was expected to be there and if I wasn't I had best have a very good explanation. The meal was served, you either ate what was on your plate or said, no thank you. My parents didn't make me eat anything I didn't want, at least when I was a bit older, old enough to make that decision for myself. That meant I fully understood that there would be nothing else offered. A lesson that has served me well in life. There are consequences; ie: I was hungry later on. 

 As we sat around the table we did discuss our day. Well, not really discuss, tell about our day, mostly complaining about whatever. Dad would usually start. If it wasn't the weather, it was a co-worker or the boss being a pain. My brothers would usually have something to tell Mom and Dad to try to get me in trouble. My sister Millie usually just stayed quiet, with little to say. There was news of local interest to share, mostly gossip, but sometimes just the unfortunate things that happen. Dad would explain the why of things and what action you should or should not take. Learned quite a bit about life sitting around that table. 

 There was also a lot I wasn't told, but found out later on, when I was ready to learn about such things. Things like girls I discovered on my own, could tell the difference by the time I was five and never was confused by any of that. The only warning I ever got was to "watch out for those fast girls" they will get you into trouble. Dad told me, those girls are like fast cars, fun to drive but a lot of maintenance, you're better off with something more dependable. Might not look as good but won't let you down. He sometimes mentioned his Hudson Hornet during that lecture.

 Merle Haggard wrote a song about all of that, "are the good times really over" and it resonates within me. It just seems to me that the family room just isn't working out. It seems to me it has done more to divide families than to unite them. The television has been replaced by "streaming" services available on that big screen or in the palm of your hand. Door dash has even replaced the microwave! Yes, I'm old enough to remember when tv dinners were cooked in the oven! That little hot pie desert in the corner tempting you to begin with that. Thing was, you didn't eat a tv dinner on the kitchen table, that wasn't how it worked. 

 Today it appears to me that families are only really together for holidays and vacations. All the other time is spent just doing their own thing. For the holidays families may gather in that family room, the upper classes having a formal living room that may be utilized at that time. In the kitchen, there is an island. That's appropriate enough when you think about it, you might as well be on an island. Oh every so often the parents become "engaged" with their children fighting for some social justice cause or complaining about a lack of "resources." Some will attend those organized sporting events their children play and scream at the officials from the sidelines. Mom and Dad have become Bill and Jane now, they owe you everything because that's their job. They don't get to say no, you can call social services if they do. Yes, life has changed since we left the kitchen. Are the good times really over? 

 Having reached the age of 71 I can say this much, the good times are mostly memories now. That isn't to say there isn't much to enjoy right now and tomorrow but the best times are behind me. Well, until they aren't. None of us like change, we want things to stay the same, be familiar and comfortable. Many will attempt to "embrace" the new in an attempt to stay young or relevant. Mostly they just look ridiculous. You can't make a Hudson Hornet into a Lamborghini. What's the saying; put lipstick on a pig. I didn't know it then, but in 1953 when that tv dinner was introduced it would change America. The kitchen is closed.