Lost Words From Our Childhood

[1972coronet]

My friend Norbert owns a gasthaus in a town called Obernzenn, near where I was stationed in the early '80s. He had a Grundig color TV mounted on the wall opposite the bar. Since he usually couldn't remember where he last left the remote, he'd grab his key ring and do exactly what you said. My friends and I would P.O. the oldtimers watching soccer matches by shaking our keys and changing the channel. Then they would shake theirs and change it back. Then we'd do it again. After a while, it would sound like sleigh bells in the place. One day, after an extended key concert, Norbert went over to where the TV was, yanked it off the platform, threw it through the window and announced, "Time to buy a new television."

"To hold the T.V. to my lips, the air so packed with cash
then carry it up flights of stairs and drop it in the vacant lot..."

- Blank Generation , Richard Hell & The Voidoids , 1977

[Kit Basher]

 This thread is far-out and groovy. I hope you can dig what I'm puttin' down, cause it's like heavy, man.

Edited February 6, 2016 by Kit Basher

[1972coronet]

One of my favourite esoteric references is Central Office eXchange phone numbers (e.g. , "BEechwood-45789") . Some-thing I completely geek out over , and some-thing I use just to hear every-one say , "Huh?" . For an instance ; some-one will ask what the number is at the store I work from , and I'll say " (714) ORange-490..." . This works two ways : (1.) the '714' area code was replaced long ago with '909' , and eventually '951' , so it's fun to hear these "kids" say , "You work in Orange County ?" . (2.) The head-scratching when I give "OR" as the preix is hilarious .

[Snake45]

   Wow, Almost left out one of my all time Favorites! Just give me the Readers Digest Version.

You're right, haven't heard that one for a while.

I cannot wait until people STOP saying "It's in our DNA." I can't get through a day without some commercial or politician or other blowhard telling me something or other is "in our DNA." Of course it's always something that isn't even close to being in our DNA at all.

[Crazy Ed]

One of my favourite esoteric references is Central Office eXchange phone numbers (e.g. , "BEechwood-45789") . Some-thing I completely geek out over , and some-thing I use just to hear every-one say , "Huh?" . For an instance ; some-one will ask what the number is at the store I work from , and I'll say " (714) ORange-490..." . This works two ways : (1.) the '714' area code was replaced long ago with '909' , and eventually '951' , so it's fun to hear these "kids" say , "You work in Orange County ?" . (2.) The head-scratching when I give "OR" as the preix is hilarious .

   Yep, I grew up with EMpire-7- for our phone number. Oh and want to call long distance then - sorry No Area Codes, Dial O and tell Her which City and then once switched over tell the next operator who it was you wanted to talk to and if it was a big enough City, their Address.

   Sticking with the Phone thing  "Drop a Dime".

[Crazy Ed]

You're right, haven't heard that one for a while.

I cannot wait until people STOP saying "It's in our DNA." I can't get through a day without some commercial or politician or other blowhard telling me something or other is "in our DNA." Of course it's always something that isn't even close to being in our DNA at all.

   They won't for a while. It's a poor excuse for either Bad Behavior or a way of grouping folks that really ain't a group - "All those (pick a group) can't help what they're doing/thinking because it's in their DNA.

[Snake45]

When was the last time you heard a "Busy signal"?.  My 29 year old just heard their first one and thought the phone was broke. 

I hear them all the time at work. Part of my job is calling businesses many of which are OOB or defunct. Instead of a "disconnected or not in service" message, I quite often get a "fast busy signal" which is my cue that that number is DOA.

[Danno]

"Go play in the traffic."

And, one I heard a lot as a child, "Go tell your father he wants you."  

 

 

[SfanGoch]

    That woulda been fun to watch. I'm gonna guess you were in Ansbach.......? I was I K-Town and Bad Durkheim a Decade prior to your arrival.

Illesheim, to be specific, 1/6 INF (Mech). They were in Crailsheim when you were there. Were you Signal Corps? Norby, aka Capt. Kirk/McKenzie/Bluto, was one of a kind. On Tuesdays, his place was closed. He would make the rounds to gasthauses and bars from Obernzenn to Ansbach, usually destroying the establishments in the process. The owners didn't mind because he always wrote out a check to cover the damages. His famous sign-off line, before passing out, was. "I am finished. I am full."

This is "Kirk" and his family. He used to be twice the size you see:

See where the accordion is hung on the beam? That's where the TV used to be. Norby flung the TV through the window on the left in the photo:

Edited February 6, 2016 by SfanGoch

[SfanGoch]

"To hold the T.V. to my lips, the air so packed with cash
then carry it up flights of stairs and drop it in the vacant lot..."

- Blank Generation , Richard Hell & The Voidoids , 1977

One of my favorite bands, man. 

[Mike_G]

I'm trying to decide whether this thread is nifty, boss, tuff, or bitchin'

[10thumbs]

Mike, those words came up later.

Swift.  Really swift.

@Joe just above.  I know those kind of places, the Gasthaus modern small joints.  The man you mentioned wouldn't get that far along in older type establishments. 

[Crazy Ed]

Illesheim, to be specific, 1/6 INF (Mech). They were in Crailsheim when you were there. Were you Signal Corps? Norby, aka Capt. Kirk/McKenzie/Bluto, was one of a kind. On Tuesdays, his place was closed. He would make the rounds to gasthauses and bars from Obernzenn to Ansbach, usually destroying the establishments in the process. The owners didn't mind because he always wrote out a check to cover the damages. His famous sign-off line, before passing out, was. "I am finished. I am full."

This is "Kirk" and his family. He used to be twice the size you see:

See where the accordion is hung on the beam? That's where the TV used to be. Norby flung the TV through the window on the left in the photo:

    Yep, Signal Corps - 1 Circus Btn  /7 Sig Bgde (Patch was what we called the Outhouse on a Hill getting hit by Lightning). What I miss mist about Germany are Smoked Bratwurst, Hard Rolls with Cracked seed Brown Mustard and a BIER - Prost!

    Just think Joe, those Kids are all in their 40's now..........

[Ace-Garageguy]

Did anyone mention "caboose"?.

Now all we have is a stupid flashing-light "end of train device".

[Mike_G]

Mike, those words came up later.

Not later than my childhood... I was raised in the '60s

[10thumbs]

I'm terribly sorry that I forgot your childhood.

[peteski]

Did anyone mention "caboose"?.

Now all we have is a stupid flashing-light "end of train device".

You mean FRED?

[von Zipper]

 

23 Skidoo!

23 Skidoo ? Did you grow up during the Woodrow Wilson Administration ?

my Grandma would never say someone was drunk , she would say they were 'tight' so -'Sleep tight , don't let the bed bugs bite'

[sjordan2]

We had to eat every bite of our TV dinner because children were starving in Europe.

[Snake45]

We had to eat every bite of our TV dinner because children were starving in Europe.

First time they told me that, I offered to send them my leftovers. They never tried THAT line on me again. (And in my case, it was Korea.)

[SfanGoch]

We had to eat every bite of our TV dinner because children were starving in Europe.

TVs are chock full of vitamins and iron, essential for good health.

[sjordan2]

First time they told me that, I offered to send them my leftovers. They never tried THAT line on me again. (And in my case, it was Korea.)

I said the same thing. And this stuff was deadly. It was cleverly disguised as food.

Edited February 8, 2016 by sjordan2

[SfanGoch]

Salisbury Steak was a favorite of mine. If you let it dry out, it could be used to draw skelzie boards on the street in case you ran out of chalk.

[Harry P.]

I used to love TV dinners!

Speaking of which... when was the last time you heard them called that?

Edited February 9, 2016 by Harry P.

[Harry P.]

23 Skidoo ? Did you grow up during the Woodrow Wilson Administration ?

Yeah, it was the bee's knees!