Early seventies. High school. Time spent participating in sports, bus rides, school work, and hanging with close girl friends in the neighborhood. Sharing clothes with friends, (my mother never knew I changed clothes before going to school) sneaking cigs from my friend’s parents, (they were suspicious a couple of times) and giggling when the boys threw us a hint of attention. We watched American Bandstand and listened to Gary Puckett and the Union Gap’s Young Girl on our 45 record over and over. Night time shows were The Brady Bunch and Happy Days. “Marcia, Marcia, Marcia.” ……….. “Heeeeeyyyyy! “ ……..Nothing better. Saturday nights were spent with the family watching reruns of the Lawrence Welk show, watching Bobby Burgess dance and listening to the Lennon Sisters.
We took drivers ed together, and grew interested in boys. When we weren’t playing sports, we watched as the boys did. The boy’s bb team had strong players, and we showed team spirit at the auditorium in Bangor. Boys became interesting. Neighborhood boy became interested. Finally, noticed by a boy. There was less time with the girls, and more time with the boy.
Sonny and Cher were getting rave reviews in the music industry. Nixon resigns the presidency in ‘74. Paul Anka’s hit song “Having My Baby” becomes “our” new theme song. She was one of the last born at the hospital, while my grandfather was one of the last to die there, just days apart. Time with girl friends is less. Duffel bag put away, diaper bag used every day. Content to sit on the sideline that last year of school with a new bundle, sharing her with classmates. Wasn’t the norm in the early seventies, but we had love.
Graduation in ’75 meant welcome to the real world. Parents have been supportive for the last year, living in our respective homes, but factory work produces a paycheck. Local shirt factory kept me busy all day, home to husband and child after that. He joined the workforce and we were proud to become owners of our first car…a Chevy Vega. Two door. Tan. Big enough for the three of us.
Local Justice of the Peace did the honors for us on her front lawn in ‘76. Nothing big. Nothing fancy. Just right for us. New (old) mobile home, wasn’t great, but it was ours. Television is now the Muppet Show and Sesame Street. Music is nursery rhymes and children’s songs. Still involved in sports, but now it’s him on the softball diamond, us in the softball stands. Cheerleader now….not a player. High school girl friends move on with their lives while we get ready for child number two. Old Vega is too small, so we trade for a Ford Fairmont wagon, brown, four door. We are moving up.
End of the 70’s decade. Mork and Mindy is a hit comedy. Robin Williams is still the best. Disco is wild, and John Travolta stars in Saturday Night Fever, and then Grease. I knew all the words to every song. Leisure suits were smooth looking. Slow-pitch softball tourneys are weekend festivities for our family. Old friends become more distant…. family becomes a constant. One decade over…a new one just beginning.
