Bill

This is another little story in my effort to bridge the familiarity gap between the generations. Kind of telling tales to this Gen21 era about what it was really like
Then; long before we had all that we have now.

When in college in the 1950s one semester I took a 3 hour seminar course I needed for my degree given only on Saturdays. The class was filled with a variety of students. One in particular I gravitated to was a man I’ll call Bill.
Bill was a World War 11 veteran who spent eight years pursuing his bachelors degree
While working full time; married with two children; a full plate even for a man as determined as Bill.
It turned out that we would have many discussions at break time and after class. Of all Bill’s stories this was the most incredible. Here goes,


Immediately after WW11 Bill had just married after being discharged after spending three years in the U.S. Army, mostly in Italy. He participated in ‘limited combat.’ A subject he would never discuss.

With his mustering out pay he got married and bought a used ’39 Chevy. They were living with his wife’s parents ‘until we could get settled,’ Bill spent weeks on end looking for a job.

(Immediately after the war things were pretty tough. The country was struggling to transition from a wartime economy; and it was slow but determined.)

One Saturday Bill got in his Chey bought a newspaper and began to scan the want ads.
Seeing once again nothing in the want ads for which he was qualified, Bill scanned throught the paper. Then he saw a full page ad which read ‘VETERANS,YOU’RE YOUR OWN HOME. NO MONEY DOWN, MOVE RIGHT IN under the GI Bill. Incredulous, but having nothing else to do and not wanting to go home yet, Bill drove twenty miles out of the city to the homesite.

The along the highway were big signs advertising and giving directions to the site. Driving two miles off the highway on a crushed stone road in what used to be farmland stood a beautiful pastel colored model home surrounded by flags and balloons and small signs with words like ‘all appliances’ ‘move in condition,‘’a new quality of life,’stuck in the sod lawn that surrounded the model home.

The real estate was much to much for Bill. He anticipated every timid question Bill could muster. Finally, he convinced Bill to sign what was a contract of sale. Repeating, ‘You are a veteran. This GI Bill 100% mortgage if for men like you! Bill did not believe it but figured he had nothing, so he had nothing to lose.’ He left, stuffed the envelope under his seat; decided forget about it because once they checked him out and found out he had nothing, they would’nt bother him. And he certainly not tell his wife.

Four months later Bill had just started a new job and got a call from his crying frantic wife. “Bill, what have you done. I have mail here saying we bought a home. We are just getting back on our feet, we have a new baby on the way and we just found a small apartment. What is this insanity? We’re poor!!’ It Bill explained everything that evening. His wife’s response was that they were to go to this new place and she would simply calmly explain to the people their circumstances. “This part you leave up to me.I’ll get us out of this ”
So out to the site on the prescribed morning. Now the surrounding landscape was filled with homes in various stages of construction, which frightened her even more. “Oh my God. My husbands an idiot.’

The smiling real estate man greeted them and said everything was ready for them. Being used to unbelieving couples, he gave his well-prepared speech. Then pointed them in the direction of their new home, accompanying them and taking genuine pleasure seeing this overwhelmed couple inspect their new home. They returned, signed the paperwork that said their first mortgage monthly payment of $63.50 was due in two months.

Three months after moving in, Bill got another frantic call from his wife. “Bill, there are men here with bulldozers in the yard.” It turned out to be the landscaping crew installing shrubs and a new lawn around their home.

The year was 1947 in the new Suburbia!!!!!!!!!!!

Notes on the Baby Boomers

In the 1960s, while at lunch, swapping stories about being the parents of ‘baby boomers’ was common (and, I believe, to some it was therapy.) Here’s a typical one;

A middle- aged manager on a business trip stayed in Boston an extra day after his business meeting to catch his son’s freshman football team play a local college.

Very excited that his son was switched to offensive guard by his coach; a position the dad played as a youth. His son even wore the same number, 53, his dad wore; every proud indeed!

The dad arrived at the opposing school’s stadium just in time for the kickoff. Freshman games generally attract few fans and this was no exception. Undaunted our proud Dad was able to move freely as the teams progressed up and down the field, privately waving every time his son managed a look to the stands.

Then late in the game came THE play. An exact same situation as he was in many years before as first string offensive guard for his team. His son’s team managed to move the ball down to the opponents 5 yard line. They were down by a few points; same as 20 years ago. At that time the dad was considered the most dependable guard to open the hole for the ballcarrier. So far in this game his son was proving to be the same. Then, Dad’s team called the play with he lead blocking the defender. With legs like pistons, Dad drove his shoulders into the defender and carried the defender all the way into the end zone. The runner followed for the game winning touchdown. This day, 20 years later, he was transfixed watching his son lung and drive the defender into the end zone, looking down as the defender lay helpless on his back as the runner scored the game winning touchdown.

Dad was tearful and swelling with pride. He ran along the stands as his son’s team wooped it up and headed for the locker room. He could’nt wait to tell his son all about the deju- vous phenomena at the dinner they had planned.

After exiting the locker room father and son powerfully embraced as the rest of the team headed for their bus. Just as he began to explain the grand phenomena Son interrupted and said he was sorry but the ‘guys want to all eat together some where along the road’ and was little anxious as he half listened to Dad explain the Father/Son forever bonding event. The bus horn beeped as Dad finished and waited. He got a quick, “That’s great Dad. But I really have to go. So can I have that 50 bucks you promised, I’m kinda broke?’ Dad in partial shock peeled off 3 twenties. Pocketing the twenties as he hugged his father, ‘Thanks for being here and for the money, I’ll see you in a couple of weeks. Bye!!!!”

Dad just stood there as the bus pulled away from the empty parking lot. He looked around, as if to see if anyone noticed him looking a little sad. ‘Well, home it is, I guess!’

A true story; I know!!

Bernie Moran's Blog; About Then and Now

In this posting I want to address ‘Why’ Bernie’s Blog; about then and now’?’ Why isn’t a 77 year old guy sitting back on his butt and vegetating in old age, gaping at pretty young ladies and keeping his mouth shut? The answer is primarily because I’m stubborn. And because I love communicating, particularly with the generation I call the Gen21 and believe my written and spoken words are worthwhile. So, stick with me!

OK! If you have read the bio on my website, www.berniemoran.com , you know something of my background. That I’m an old guy who had a 35year career in the aerospace industry, not as an engineer or scientist but, as a contracting executive; that my avocation is writing; that I wrote, narrated and produced a DVD narrative about the 1930s and that decade’s teenagers (I was a kid then, looking up to them, and still do). The title, ‘The Thirties and The Greatest Generation; Through the Eyes and Recollections of a Child.’ Check out the clips on the website.

I’d also like to add some parts of my background you do not know. Early on in my career (1960s) I spent seven years on the Apollo Program and in 1973 wrote a novel about it. I wrote it as fiction, (every character in it was still around and I probably would have been on the wrong side of law suits or been rubbed out, or both). A literary agent I commissioned said it was pretty interesting but should have been written it as fact. Now, 36 years later, I’ve dusted it off and with some hindsight editing will try again. And finally, a follow-on piece about the 30s generation I wrote and produced into a DVD is more then ½ completed, dealing with Apollo Program achievement and the Baby-boomers. Like all my stuff, it’s pretty good.

In the next posting I’ll give you the case for the similarities between Gen21 and the teens of the 30’s and the very exciting possibilities it presents. But of even greater significance, if they are really up to it, and I’m beginning to think they are, the Challenges it poses to the Gen21!!!!

We Didn't Know We Were Poor

We find ourselves in these early years of the 21st century comparing our current difficult times to the 1930s. "We are in the toughest economic times since the Great Depression," is the often heard expression.

Being a very impressionable little child in the 'Thirties' I have vivid memories of how it was to live and grow up then. I particularily recall the teenagers then. When they were nice enought to let me hang around I would hang on to every expression, every idea and every joke. And forever feeling I could never, as hard as I tried, measure up to them. And it almost seemed like they could'nt grow up fast enough. I guess because they had to. The family needed them to bring in income to help provide the Essentials of life. My respect for them has never waivered to this day.

That Depression began in the first years of the 1930s and lasted up through 1939. No one will ever know how long it would have lasted for Europe was at war and we became productive and supplied implements of war and in 1941 entered that war with the tragic bombing of our navel base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. So the U.S.productivity zoomed and those teenagers went on to become the most incredible and successful warriors in the history of the planet.

And I, as I approached bering a teenager during those war years, said to myself, 'It would be great to write about them and these times, would'nt it? Maybe someday I will.' Well, a few years ago I finally wrote that tributeto them for my grandchildren. I felt so good about it I made it into a DVD narrative. I call it, "The Thirties and The Greatest Generation; through the eyes and recollections of a child."
Please check it out on my website www.berniemoran.com The clips from the DVD might just get you thinking further when you hear, '...the toughest economic times since the Great Depression.'

Some Kind of Basketball Player

I am always being on the alert for anything involving the generation called the ‘Greatest Generation.’ I’m 77! No spring chicken. But I am still making some moderate efforts to keep the body functioning. I swim. Been doing it 4 times a week almost every week since ’82.

As I enter the facility where I swim, I walk past the basketball court to get to the locker room. And many times over the past few years there are a bunch of guys playing a full court game .(We used to call them ‘pick-up games.) Being a one- time jock I often spend a few minutes as a spectator. The ages are mostly between about 20 and 35 with one exception. At times there is a man going up and down that court with a full crop of pure white hair, an accompanying white mustache and very aged skin. Being an old guy myself I fixate on him. I often speculated he is probably couple years younger then me. Even though he lacks the agility he once had, there is no denying the great shape he is in and he is a pleasure to watch. Each time he is playing, I have seen the other players paying him a wonderful compliment; they simply treat him as another player.

Last week I got there an hour later then usual. As I approached the building the older basketball player fully dressed was leaving. So I had to do it. I stopped him, excused myself and offered my hand, ‘Hi, I’ve been watching you play with those young guysand think you’re great still getting out there. And I am honored to shake your hand!’

Without hesitation, I got a very firm handshake. With bright blue eyes and a confident smile, he said, ‘I’m 89, still going and looking ahead!’

Ever since my childhood, that great generation of the 30s continues to amaze me!!

Teens: Then and Now

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A few of my thoughts about the teenagers of the 1930s and this 21^st century teenage generation of today.

Those who were teenagers in the1930s into the early 1940s were given the name ‘Greatest Generation’ in recent years by Tom Brokow of NBC. (They never called themselves that because they never thought themselves anything close to great, in spite of what they went through and, most importantly, Achieved.)

To those of you born in the late 1980s into the 1990s, I am going to call you GEN21. I knew one group as a child and know the other as a sage old guy. I’ll talk about the generations in between from time to time in the future. But I find it particularly relevant and very fascinating to compare the Greatest Generation and the Gen21 for the reasons I’ll explain.

OK! First, if you are interested in knowing more about me, please go to my website, www.berniemoran.com . It has a profile on me as well as a heads up about a DVD narrative I wrote and produced, dealing with the teenagers of the 1930s. (I was a little kid then, observing and looking up to them.) The website has a couple of clips from the DVD. You might find it interesting. Now the comparison;

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In 1930s most families were poor, and I mean Poor. The social lower classes were the bulk of our population. The middle class was small but very strong. The parents of the teenagers did not have much, if any, education. Mothers stayed home, fathers worked and as husband and wife they were bound together for life. A large number did not speak much, or no, English. Even though there was strong parental presence at home, it was the teenager who learned and ‘instructed’ their elders. Most teens did not finish high school. They worked and brought their pay envelopes home. So life was very tough for them. They did have something upon which they did rely; they had each other. The phenomenon was the level of unexpected creativity they generated. (More about that in the future.)

You, the Gen21 have many times more of everything. Your parents are mostly reasonably well educated, articulate, selectively communicative, in many cases both working, a significant number not bound by marriage, not together and/or stepparents. And most prominently, almost if not all of them, hopelessly running around like headless chickens. So like that 1930s generation, you gen21 are very much, for very different reasons, self- reliant. Also, like that older generation you ‘instruct’ your elders; in your case, in the elements of state of the art global electronic communications and computers. And you too, like them, mostly have each other and really stick together; I really like that about you.

As a sage old observer, the wonder is I see the signs of an entrepreneurial spirit among you. If it is as widespread as I hope it really is, then you are indeed a lot closer to being

like that 30s ‘greatest’ generation. So, in spite of the many pronouncements about how screwed up the younger generation is, you all may well be positioned to challenge that ‘greatest generation’ level of achievement of post WW11, which is unequaled in our history. That’s a wonderfully exciting prospect!

I’ve got to think more about all this and welcome related thoughts from anyone.

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Believing that you will immediately get it, I’d like to begin with asking Gen21 for your take on the fundamental issue we all deal with and that is your take on ‘personal accountability!’ I ask this important opening question because I know that the 30s group lived in a time where one was judged to be totally accountable, with any modification to that thinking considered a extenuating circumstance for consideration.

So how about it? What’s your take on ‘personal accountability?