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Saturday, November 26, 2011

Reruns (Prompt: Good Old Days)


Growing up,
life wasn’t abusive or neglectful,
but it was staid, Spartan
and security minded.

My parents were too busy
trying not to lose their status
in the lower middle class
that there was rarely
time for laughter,
time for joy.

I don’t look back and see
the good old days.
I see reruns,
mostly sitcoms.

All I was allowed
to do was watch TV,
so I did.

I even learned to read
by matching the synopsis
to what was on
in the TV.

Now I use
DVR technology to watch
shows I saw as a kid
and I recite the scripts,
perfect in memory and intonation,
I even know the rhythm
of the laugh tracks.

To this day,
some of my fondest memories
are found in episodes of
“All in the Family”
“Sanford and Son”
“Green Acres”
“The Honeymooners”

and better than family
they will all
outlive me.

4 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:51 PM

    Buddah,

    This is the story of so many of us. Different stories, same sitcoms. Me, drunk mom, etc., but I do a helluva piano bar rendition of The Patty Duke Show theme! I watch MeTV all the time (rabbit ear TV), and I remember those characters more than my own family! Really touched on a good one here... Love you, Ameleh
    http://sharplittlepencil.wordpress.com/2011/11/28/amy-is-back-therapy-in-bb/

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  2. @anonymous - just click the RSS feed above to follow me! Or twitter @ihatepoetry

    @sharpie - thanks - I realize I have so many memories and they are inextricably linked to either sitcoms or records! Oy! Thanks for the kind words.

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  3. @anon- I meant the Follow button in the upper left corner!

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  4. For me, I will add "Leave it to Beaver," "Lassie" (with Tommy Rettig who I worshipped), "I Love Lucy." Yes, "The Honeymooners," "Private Secretary" with Ann Sothern. So many memorable shows. I don't know how many of today will stand the test of time like these have.

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