Sweet Freedoms: 50 Life Lessons from Life in the '50s

by Ken Gaudi

Overview

There was a time before penicillin and polio shots, Xerox and Xbox, contact lenses and credit cards. A time when there was no such thing as FM radios, cell phones, MP3's or CDs. Those days, kids walked to school-rain or shine-because there was no bus. On a summer day, they left the house to go outside to play at 8:00 a.m. and returned for dinner at the call of a whistle. No one ever asked where the car keys were because they were always in the glove box or ignition, and the doors were never locked. Gas was 28 cents a gallon! Ken Gaudi will have you laughing and crying (or just maybe pondering) as you read Sweet Freedoms-a memoir dedicated to his grandchildren. Learn from the past as you read 50 unbelievable adventure stories intertwined with savvy life lessons based on childhood experiences of life in the '50s.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781935245193
Publisher:	HigherLife Publishing
Publication date:	07/01/2010
Edition description:	First Edition
Pages:	144
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Ken Gaudi worked for over 25 years as the State Government Affairs Manager for Dominion Resources, Inc., one of the largest producers and transporters of energy in the United States. He served 8 years on the board of trustees for Clarion University. He also played a leading role in the passage of key legislature in the Pennsylvania State Legislature for 35 years. Ken resides with his wife, Peggy, in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, where he spends his time reading, writing, and playing golf and handball with friends.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements xi

Introduction 1

1 High Park, Pennsylvania: My Boyhood Home 4

2 Electronics & Technology 12

3 Our "Field of Dreams" 15

4 Little League 19

5 Stickball, High Park Playground, and De-Pantsing 20

6 Summer Games: Mumbley Peg, Buckety Buck, Belt Lily, and Kick the Can 23

7 BB Guns and Camping Out 29

8 Summer Job: Caddying 34

9 The Rat Story 39

10 Smoking 42

11 Play: Fall Football, Army Maneuvers, and Cow Riding 45

12 Winter Sledding 49

13 Winter Indoor Games: Table Football and Darts 54

14 Pinochle 59

15 Dogs and Hunting 61

16 My Dog Skippy 66

17 Automobiles: Travels, Road Conditions, and the Importance of Getting a Good Seat in a Car 69

18 First Grade School: Passing Gas in Public and Other New Experiences 74

19 Second Grade: Love and School Chores 78

20 Catholic School: Third Grade Adjustments 81

21 Respect, Honor, Justice, and Obedience 88

22 Riding Bikes 90

23 Movies 95

24 Parents 102

25 Christmas 106

26 Death, Family, and Sharing 111

27 Friends 116

28 One Final Life Lesson Story 119

A Closing Thought 125