Back in the Day: The swing has never been my thing

Last Saturday, I was returning home from running some personal errands and tending to some “honey dos” when I observed a young boy doing something that I could never do. As I continued my drive home I thought more about this youngster’s actions and my thoughts turned to other things I did as a little boy and a teenager that I cannot do today. I also thought of things that I could not do back in the day. So I invite you to also reminisce about such things in the years when you were growing up. I know what you are wondering; what was this little boy doing that resulted in this trip back in the day?

This boy was swinging on a swing. When I saw him, he was in full motion with his legs extended. He built momentum as he kicked his legs forward. As the swing moved back, he quickly tucked his legs under the swing and continued to build momentum with the quick leg extension and tuck. I admired what he was doing as this is something that I could never do. My days on a swing involved someone standing behind me and giving me big pushes. I could not coordinate the leg tuck and the pull of the chain to maintain the momentum to keep the swing moving. As a result, trips to the playground avoided the swing area.

Marbles were never my thing either. While I did attempt to shoot marbles, I must admit that I was awful at playing this game. I was so bad that I often went home in tears having lost most of my marbles to my cousin, a highly skilled player. My problem was being ‘cunny-thumb,”’ a term defined by Merriam-Webster as “with the thumb bent in behind the second finger of the closed hand.” Those that were good at shooting marbles shot with their knuckle planted on the ground. I was not one of these marble shooters. I knew that I could not shoot marbles, back in the day.

I could jump rope with a person on each end, and I was also good at skipping rope all by myself. But jumping Double-Dutch was a different story. I could never figure out how to enter into the two ropes turning in opposite directions. Thus, jumping Double-Dutch became another thing that I could not do when growing up.

Then there was the activity that kept many of us occupied as we moved into our teenage years. Some of you played Pitty Pat and some of you played Spades. Others may have played Tonk and Go Fish. I suspect, however, that many of you played Gin Rummy because it could include multiple players, kept you engaged and was extremely popular. But playing card games meant that there was no place for me. I was not a card player. The only card game I played was the game “War.” Now, go ahead and laugh as most folks do not regard War as a legitimate card game.

In 1958, the hula hoop became a big fad. You remember that plastic hoop that was twirled around ones waist. You may be able to visualize young children twirling these hoops by rotating their waist. It was popular and everywhere you turned there were children and adults twirling a hula hoop. As you might suspect, I was not among those having such fun because I could not manage to rotate my waist in a circular motion while pushing my stomach forward as the hoop moved around my stomach. In watching others, this process appeared to be quite simple, but it was another thing that I could not do in my youth and young adult years.

The ability to ice skate is another thing that goes on my “cannot do list.” I spent many Saturdays at the Arena at 46th and Market Streets, which was not far from my home. Even though I had my own pair of ice skates, standing on ice skates and skating, was something I just could not do.

You must know that one could not develop the ability to swim by getting under the water of a fire hydrant or a “fireplug” as my father called it. There were no swimming pools in my neighborhood and Gustine Lake and League Island were too far to travel from my West Philadelphia neighborhood. So, swimming was another thing that I was unable to master; my limited swimming ability came much later in life.

I had every desire to dunk a basketball but this is something else that I cannot do. Friends who were much shorter could dunk a basketball, and so it was not primarily related to my height. The fact is, I could not dunk a basketball, nor could I “palm” a basketball. Also, related to sports, was my inability to throw a football with a spiral. Now, I could throw a football, accurately and with distance but what came out of my hand was never a spiral.

Whistling in a high-pitched sound was a “no-no.” I am amazed with the ability of men and women to make a high pitched whistling sound, usually with two fingers in their mouths. I know you have heard this shrill sound. It is typically used when trying to get someone’s attention, like calling for a taxi cab. I can make a soft whistling sound, but a high-pitched whistle is something that I just could not do.

Sewing, cooking and ironing are other things that I could not do and still cannot do. Believe me, I have tried all three but with limited or no success.

Dances of the past, such as “the slop” and “the bop” were also on my list.

As you prepare for the summer months ahead, take note of things in this column that I could not do. For those that apply to you, carve out time and make some of them a learning experience. Hopefully, you will have much fun. See it as form of exercise by developing the ability to do some things today, that I was unable to do, back in the day.