The Hood Ain't What It Used To Be

Did you miss me?

Today, I am not the happiest of scribes. We will get to why I am feeling slightly out of sorts in a minute. The day started out nice enough...well, as nice as The Windy City can be at this time of year. The serene skies actually made me forget about the messed up economy and this god-awful place I go to everyday called a job. Hmmm...I hope my boss doesn't read Kris The Critic. Oh well. This particular day I decided to take a drive through my old neighborhood. Growing up, there was no better place to be during the summer and fall than the south side of Chicago. Even for those who do not hail from Chi-City, I believe you have fond memories of your childhood neighborhood. Close your eyes and think back to the things...Awwww...I tee a wittle smile...

That brings me back to why I'm feeling a little blue. I don't know if I'll ever get that feeling back. Feel me?...not yet. Take a walk with ya boy down memory lane. Let's see if the old grey matter can remember what made the hood such a good place to be. These are of course, in no particular order:

#1) Sports - When was the last time you saw a group of kids play a game of piggy softball, or draw a square box for a game of strike out, hide and seek, red light - green light, football...ANYTHING? It just doesn't happen. No wonder kids 12 years old are so fat now. Sure, we still see a few basketball games, but that's just foreplay to someone getting shot.

#2) Pink Cookies - I know I personally ate about 2000 or so of these from age 5 to 15, so why did they stop being sold? I miss those little sugary treats. I miss all penny candy. Now you can only buy Gyros from foreigners. Back then you could get a bag full of candy for about 87 cents..Real sugar too. No high fructose corn syrup...What was your favorite?...Chiko Sticks, Mike & Ike's, Now & Laters (or Nownlaters as I called them), Wine candy?...

#3) Curfew - I know I didn't dream about this. BUT, didn't all youth (by law) have to be off the street around a certain time? Or was that just my mother who yelled out of the window at 8pm, everyday? If I wasn't in by the time the street lights came on, there were serious consequences and repercussions. They bring back curfew, crime will go down, guaranteed.

#4) Music - There was a time when you could actually hear the words of a nice song and sing along to it. All my friends would walk and sing our favorite songs. That's because someone always had a boom box (forget about an iPod). Anyone could pick up a Jet magazine, go to the hot singles page, and know ALL top 20 songs. Now, I don't know what the heck is being said or who is singing it...But we do know if it's made this decade it about naked women, sex, money and cars...Music sucks!

#5) Neighbors...nice ones and mean ones. It truly takes a village to raise a child. I didn't like it back then, but we all had someone on our block who would go nuts if you walked in their grass. As a matter of fact, most neighbors would know the kids names, break up fights, or even feed you. Today, we don't know half the people on our block.

So, we are all grown up. We have nice homes and nice cars...We didn't have much back then did we? But in truth, it was all we needed. What do you miss about the hood?

Kris The Critic