The Popcorn Stand: When the olden days were harder, but better

In my latest old fuddy, duddy rant about how I had it so much harder but life was so much better “in my day,” I understand kids have choices today.

Like when they get in the car, they have a choice of what animated movie they can watch on the DVD player. I also had choices when it came to riding in a car. Two choices and I’ll have to clean up the language. I could get in the car — or I could be put in the car.

I’ve also already written about the choice I had when eating school lunch — I could eat my lunch or not go to recess.

It’s funny but the lack of choices I had forced me to become more independent and to actually make some pretty tough decisions as I was growing up. Like if the right side of the field should be foul for me since I’m a left-handed hitter when me and my friends wanted to play a pickup game of baseball and we really didn’t have enough kids.

We didn’t just give up. We didn’t just say there’s only five of us, we can’t play. We figured out a way to play. With ghost runners and everything.

“In my day” you really had to figure out how to pass the time on long trips in a car. (Although today I’m very thankful for Sirius).

I don’t think kids are learning those kinds of skills today. It seems like they wait for their parents to figure out everything for them.

Now it’s time for a “healthy” snack, so I’m having trouble deciding between the Doritos or the Ruffles cheddar cheese potato chips in the vending machine. I never said I was perfect.

— Charles Whisnand