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The Pendulum Swings

May 6, 2008 11:13 PM

wasn't really in a bad mood after yesterday, but I was definitely frustrated at the way things go sometimes.

In terms of frustration and annoyance, then, today was a much better day. Things went really well in some respects, so I was really pleased with that.

But then I got home and I decided to go for a walk right at dusk. My house is sort of close to a highway, and when I walk I usually end up walking down the frontage road, over the highway, and then down the frontage road the other way. But today I decided not to go that way and walked down a residential street I've never walked down before. It was sort of awesome.

There were little kids playing in the dwindling light and families sitting on their porches talking and eating and whatever. And then, as it got darker, lights started going on in living rooms as people sat down to watch the news or whatever the fuck is on TV on Monday nights.

Then I walked down past an elementary school around here. And I saw that their playground had those lame plastic slides and playsets in it. And then I remembered how much better those things had been when we were kids. I remember we had a huge slide that was at least as tall as three fourth graders. And it was made of metal and wood. It was dangerous as hell, I'm sure. When I started getting a little older, I remember that the safer, lamer playground equipment of today started to become pervasive. And I was pissed and disappointed.

Anyway, I was walking past this playground and seeing their slide made me remember how awesome the slide at my elementary school was. And I flashed back on going down that thing with wax paper under your butt so you'd go faster and throwing paper airplanes from the top of it because that was the highest place you could get to. And playing tag all around it. And standing under the platform and having super-deep conversations.

All those things put me in a damned good mood. Just thought I'd share in case any of you out there thought I was only capable of anger and sadness.



3 Comments


Dee said:

aw, i really like this post. i saw a kid break both his legs falling off the top of one of those. horsing around of course. how are kids supposed to learn about consequences from that plastic shit?


May 7, 2008 7:53 AM



Dee said:

by "those" i mean those high metal slides of our childhood.

May 7, 2008 7:56 AM



tRJ said:

It used to be so easy to get hurt on a playground. The park we went to when I was little had this wooden thing, sort of a pyramid/fort, which was just some 4x4 posts carriage bolted together. The structure was probably 20 feet tall. And you could climb up and over and all around this thing. It was awesome.

Last time I was there, the fort was gone, and a sprawling plastic thing was in its place. You'd have to really put in some effort to get hurt there, and that stinks.

Of course you realize that its people in our profession that are to blame for this. [Sigh]

Down with frivolous lawsuits! Down with plastic playgrounds!

May 7, 2008 8:29 AM



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