Biding time

[Matt Deckard]

What yould you do?
No TV, No video games...

I was talking to my neighbor and he said back in the day they would go up to a pop machine, the kind that sat on the floor with the bottles facing up. They'd slide back the top and pop all the tops and pull out their straws and suck the machine dry without paying.

What stories do you have?

 

[Trickeration]

Gross, but true.

When my uncle was about 11 or 12 (late 1940's), he and his friends would go around picking up bottles until they had enough money for one of them to get into the movies. Then one of them would buy a ticket, go in, and sneak the others in through the back door. They'd buy some popcorn and a cup of coffee and head up to the balcony. After watching the movie for awhile, and sipping some coffee and munching on popcorn, they mix a handful of popcorn into the half-full cup of warm coffee. Then one of them would moan really loudly that that he thought he was going to be sick, make a gagging noise, and dump the warm coffee-popcorn mixture on a victim below. Of course, after that, the boys would high-tail it out of theatre.

It's a rather disgusting idea, and I feel really sorry for the many victims they must have had. But I my uncle was, as they'd say, a real stinker. The story kind of reminds me of Our Gang, or The Sandlot. I guess it's one way to kill a couple of hours!

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Hell, I have a TV, computer and phone and am still completely bored

 

[Naama]

Hell, I have a TV, computer and phone and am still completely bored

I know exactly what you mean!


Naama

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Daydream. Write. Take pictures. Read.

 

[scotrace]

I suppose I'd drink me some of that true Coke and try to avoid getting polio.

And read a lot.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Walk. Read. Sew. Write. Listen. Think.

(And I've never even played a video game in my life....)

 

[Hannigan Reilly]

I suppose I'd drink me some of that true Coke and try to avoid getting polio.

Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!:eusa_clap

I'd build a zepelin from household items and fight the natzzees.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Bwahahahahahahaha!!!!:eusa_clap

I'd build a zepelin from household items and fight the natzzees.

It's interesting you say that because I just got a Victorian book on evening entertainments. Included is instructions for building a rocket from common household chemicals and items which I will attempt to do as soon as possible.

 

[Hannigan Reilly]

It's interesting you say that because I just got a Victorian book on evening entertainments. Included is instructions for building a rocket from common household chemicals and items which I will attempt to do as soon as possible.

That's awesome! you have to post a pic and recap of the lift-off! I think the whole "build things at home from spare parts" was a pretty common thing in the first half of the century, and that was a good thing.

edit: WOO-HOO! I just made "familiar face" status!

 

[PrettySquareGal]

That's awesome! you have to post a pic and recap of the lift-off! I think the whole "build things at home from spare parts" was a pretty common thing for a long time in the first half of the century. I certainly didn't see much of it in the 70's and 80's growing up.

I'm sure I'll appear in the police blotter so I'll be sure to scan a clipping.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

It's interesting you say that because I just got a Victorian book on evening entertainments. Included is instructions for building a rocket from common household chemicals and items which I will attempt to do as soon as possible.

Is it a baking soda and vinegar rocket?

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Is it a baking soda and vinegar rocket?

No! It's the real deal. I need a space suit. To be continued.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Ooooh -- I love rockets! You'll have to show me how to do this, and I can amaze the neighbors some night!

 

[jamespowers]

I would build a still in the basement.

Regards,

J

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Ooooh -- I love rockets! You'll have to show me how to do this, and I can amaze the neighbors some night!

You can help me launch it after we do lunch!

 

[jamespowers]

You can help me launch it after we do lunch!

I am not launching the still it is staying in the basement.

Regards,

J

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

I would teach myself to sculpt stone. Always wanted to do that if I had the place and the time for it.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Some things never change

My Dad played sport a lot. When he and his friends weren't playing sport, that is, rugby in winter and cricket and swimming in summer, they'd be hanging around in gangs, looking for mischief.

The guys from Dad's inner city suburb, Annandale, used to fight with the rival gang from neighbouring Forest Lodge. A guy from Annandale had to be careful not to infringe on Forest Lodge's turf, and vice versa. Dad once told me that their rivalry got so bad in the early 40's, they took to shooting at one another with Daisy air rifles!

Dad also knew some older guys from Surry Hills who'd run with Errol Flynn in what was called a 'razor gang' 15 years earlier, about the time Dad arrived in Australia from New Zealand as a child.

Boys will be boys . . .

 

[ITG]

I'd probably substitute all the internet reading I do now with book reading and maybe hanging out at the soda shop with friends.