When I Was Young

When I was young,
Our neighborhood was like a family.
We could walk our whole block
And not fear for our safety.

We'd camp in tents in our neighbors
Backyard with their daughters,
Their son and a friend spying from a tree.
Or walk to the park and play on the teeter totters.

We'd walk to school, to El Taco for food--
We loved going to Shopeze for Icees.
They were the smoothies of my generation.
We could walk to the grocery store--no worries.

We'd play swing a statue, mother may I,
Hide and seek, or have water fights.
We'd trick or treat together, we never worried about tainted treats--
We knew everyone and it was all right.

My friend and I each year
Around Halloween,
Would have a party or spook house for the younger kids--
Man could they scream!

We'd go the movies at the
Crest or Wichita Mall.
Our parents would drop us off and pick us up.
We always had a ball.

Bird bags were in fashion,
Everyone had one.
And crushes were Glen Campbell,
David Cassidy and Donny Osmond.

Everyone looked out for everyone,
They'd gather on a porch to visit.
We'd play until it got dark--it was an unofficial
Curfew, you made sure you didn't miss it.

To this day when someone
From our old neighborhood passes on--
Neighbors that moved away come back,
Like before:  It's one for all and all for one.