THE WONDER YEARS

As I watch a musical dvd of the era of my teen years of Simon and Garfunkel and Cliffy...swoon,
celebrating their 50 years in show business (where does the time go) I am strolling down memory lane. I am young, my skirts too short and my fringe too long. The world is my oyster, I am at a house party, and parents chaperone. The music blares, we dance, selfconscious, shy. We are discovering boys, first kisses, going steady. All the girls in my class are there, and boys from our brother school. The girls wear hipster bell bottome and boys tight jeans, they flick their long fringes out of their eyes and hold a cigarette in one hand. We all drink soft drink and there are no drugs. The boys inspect the girls and vica versa, as though they had never noticed them before. Talk is of The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Cliff Richard and Elvis. My dad is waiting for me out in the car, reading his newspaper. 11pm is my deadline. He always stays up to collect me. The party ends. We go home. I cannot sleep for reliving every little detail of that magical night.

An era ends.

I finish school with the honeymoon of young love behind me. I am 19 now and working. My fiance picks me up in his beetle vw. He is young and handsome. A Policeman in Rhodesia.

Oh, so much to learn, so much heartache to go through, so much joy as each of our 4 children are born.

I am a grandmother now, and if I want to visit that long ago time, I just pop and dvd into the player and it all washes over me again. It was a very special time, but I would not go back, I prefer to stay in the present to love and enjoy the children and grandchildren the Lords has loaned me.

I dedicate this to Victoria-Leigh who is 11 years old and to Tessni who will be 11 in June. It is your time now, enjoy every moment of it girls, but be wise, pay attention to your mom's, they love you and want only the best for you.

I am very proud of you both.