Whatever Happened To

Whatever Happened To

There have been a lot of things that have disappeared since I first saw sunlight.  Most of these things disappeared because they were replaced by something better.  Automatic transmissions have replaced almost all stick shifts and “three on the column.”  Satellite and cable have replaced antennae on the roof or “Rabbit Ears” on the top of the TV.  Dryers have made clotheslines obsolete.  These kinds of things didn’t really disappear, they were simply replaced by something far better.

Some things have just mysteriously left our environment.  They were here one day and suddenly “Poof” they’re gone.

We used to describe the size of some items by comparing it with a breadbox. 

“Is it bigger than a breadbox?”

Everyone knew just how big a breadbox was.  Everyone had a bread box.  Bread was always kept in a breadbox.  Today no one uses a breadbox.  Most people refrigerate bread.  Refrigerating bread keeps it from getting mold, but it makes it go stale faster.  I suppose today people buy bread to last for over a week instead of getting their “daily bread.”  We are more concerned with mold than staleness, but if you are a proponent on fresh bread to be used in a matter of days we should probably bring back the breadbox.

In the winter we always had electric blankets.  What happened to them? They used to work just fine and kept you nice and toasty.  Electric blankets replaced blankets and quilts in the winter, now blankets and quilts have replaced the electric blanket.  Why?  Maybe it’s the electric bill.  Either way it is probably better, green-wise, to lose the electric blanket.

Remember Sansabelt slacks?  Old people with expanding waistlines loved them.  They are now nowhere to be found.  I think my waistline would like them.

For several years, the big thing in cars was the wraparound windshield.  They looked really cool and provided good peripheral vision.  They just went away. I thought they were a good idea.  Also gone from cars are those little triangular windows in the front.  We called them cheaters, I have no idea why.  They were great for smokers, allowing smoke to exit without letting cold air in.  Maybe since almost no one smokes in their car anymore, the cheaters are just not needed.  I kinda liked them just to get fresh air circulating.

Fancy cars used to have white-sidewall tires.  They were really sharp looking.  When you washed your car, the last thing you did, was the white-wall tires.  (Do people even wash their own car anymore?) White-walls were really big, four inches wide, then they morphed into little one inch strips and finally they just disappeared.

A few years back every kid had wheels in their shoes.  I think they were called “Healies.” I thought they were pretty cool, perhaps a little dangerous, but cool.  Suddenly “poof” no “healies.”

When I went to grade school every kid brought their lunch in a lunchbox. They were usually decorated with some TV theme, were all metal with a little metal latch.  The box had room for a sandwich, a snack and a small thermos for milk or juice.  Dads who didn’t work in an office also brought lunch to work in a lunchbox…it just wasn’t decorated with a TV theme.  What happened to the lunchbox?  Have people stopped eating lunch?

Airports used to have vending machines where you could purchase flight insurance.  For 2 bucks, your loved ones could collect $100,000 if your flight ended badly.  What happened to flight insurance?  Are the airlines so safe, or have law suits replaced insurance.

Obviously we can live without these items, but I sort of miss them.  Sometimes old stuff just goes away and it is only the old folks that miss it.

Does anyone know where I can buy a Popiel Pocket Fishing rod?