The other day there were three town maintenance workers on my front lawn installing an updated water meter (So they can read it from their maintenance facility rather than having to drive around town to pick up the older device's radio signals).

One of them wasn't a regular town maintenance worker, but worked for a national company that works for our town, and in conversation informed me that he lives in California, but was flown out here to help with the project. "Where in California?" I asked. "Just north of San Jose," he replied. I then asked him, straight faced, "Do you know the way to San Jose?" All three of them gave me a blank, uncomprehending, stare.

Now, 20 or 30 years ago, everyone of them would have known that was a reference to the 1968 Dionne Warwick hit song, and I would have gotten a chuckle. Maybe even ten years ago. Seems like only yesterday that very few people wouldn't have gotten that reference.

just north of San Jose is seriously expensive housing

he probably can't afford a radio

Told them gun shop boys my phone number was BR 549. They had no clue.

Don't feel bad, many can tell you who we fought in WW2 or how many stars are on the flag either. It's amazing how ignorant some young people are about things every American should know.

I had a similar experience this past Thursday with my wife's 20 year old granddaughter and her boyfriend. Blank stares. Crickets. I realize the perception problem is mine (I should understand their extremely limited frame of reference.) but still it is a strange thing.

RS

LOL, Rip Van Winkle rides again.

It is indeed sad that they missed out on the wit and wisdom of Junior Samples.

RS

Their ages ranged from about 30 to 45.

Herman Munster as a cop. I only remember it from reruns, though.

It's happening with increasing frequency.

One day I was riding the subway. It was crowded, so I had to stand. I ended up standing next to an attractive young woman. Now, there are many attractive young women, but this one was special. She was stunningly beautiful. You don't want to stare, but you couldn't not glance at her either.

She noticed me and smiled. I thought, wow, it's nice to know I've still got it. Then she leaned forward to talk to me. I thought "I can't believe this goddess is chatting me up in the subway!". So I prepared my best pickup line, one that always works.

Then she offered me her seat.

Yep, you're old!

You should have seen the looks I got when I referenced the Frito Bandito awhile back. Not a single one of them had heard of it.

He was a mainstay on Saturday morning commercials when I was a kid.

It’s not just that

There’s 70 year olds on here never heard of Foghat

There’s 50 year olds on here never heard of Peter Frampton.

Utterly stunning


Anne Murray is the root cause of this.


And there’s people on here that claim they’ve never stepped foot in a Walmart or ate at a McDonald’s.

Probably 75% of my statements involve some reference to things from the past.

It's worse, that none of the references go over my head...

Kent

I worked with a guy who was a dead ringer for Junior Samples, manys the times I had to resist the temptation to run up and hand him a piece of cardboard with BR 549 on it ! He was good natured and wouldn't have taken any offense to it.

Like that meme says: Its' kind of sobering to realize that the same amount of years are between 1970 and 1918 as there are between 1970 and 2022.

A lot of people just don't get what it was like growing up in the 60's and 70's.

I think back to the 70s when I was a kid and my grandparents seemed positively ancient at that time. Now I realize I'm almost the same age as they were then, it's fairly mind blowing. They were happier it seems like, just basic life enjoying themselves. No bullshit politics, end of the world type schit never entered their minds. I'm convinced people were happier 50 years ago in general.

That’s how I remember it.

The only crisis my grandfather used to fuss about was running out of Gulden’s spicy brown mustard for his knockwurst.

Embrace being invisible. Being invisible is one of the few benefits of old age. Some old people don't like being invisible. But they're the ones who have yet to realize what being visible is going to entail in the near future.

Invisible,....live your life.

Visible,....off to the gulag with ya.

They must walk around with their head in their rear.

Love spicy brown mustard, I get the Walmart great value stuff. It's excellent. Packs just enough punch.

You know you are getting old when you can't trust a fart.

That is very sobering, indeed. I'd never thought about it like that.

Years ago when my son was still in college I was out with him and a few of his friends (insert "sponsor" here).
One of the young men asked if I could share some wisdom from my past experiences.
I told them, "from now until you turn 50, never waste a hard on, and after 50 - never trust a fart."

The sad thing is they are completely oblivious of their limited frame of reference. Most of the younguns seem to think time and history began the moment they became self aware.

I remembering watching Car 54 where are you on our black and white TV that only got 3 channels

I can remember when we got our third channel. We had CBS and NBC originally, then got ABC. About in 1956 or 1957, if I remember correctly. It took a while for ABC to catch on.

Nothing but Network TV back then.