Flashbacks of a Good Kind

I keep having flashbacks to my youth.

First it was watching The Best of the Electric Company, thanks to Netflix. I remember liking this show when I was younger, but couldn’t remember much about it.

Now I remember what made it so awesome: Morgan Freeman as Easy Reader (oozing coolness in his too-tight bell bottoms); Letterman (Faster than a Rolling O, Stronger than a Silent E. . .); child actors who weren’t polished into scary smiling robots; and an overall feeling that the people of this show were having a blast at it.


And then there was this:


Oh yeah, Inchworm. We had this growing up but my mom ditched it years ago (probably during one of her “I have two girls who are getting old, and I have nooooooo grandchildren” fits). Luckily my sister got this one from a friend, and now my mother’s FIVE grandchildren will be able to ride on this for years to come.

Then I saw this person:


M. is one of my oldest childhood friends; we met when I was almost 8, she was 9, and we lived a street apart until college. It didn’t matter that she was a jock and I was a girlie-girl, or that we didn’t even go to the same high school.

Since college, she has lived in New York, Japan, Colorado, The Netherlands, and now, California. During this same time, I have lived in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. It doesn’t matter that we seemingly are so different—-we have all the right things in common that make a friendship last decades.

Here we are in 1984, looking just too cute in matching Hampton Beach-wear.

And, now, this weekend, I will see this crew:

(sorry J.; as you know,we took this with the ‘blonde‘ camera; we can almost see you off my right shoulder!)

These are my high school girlfriends. Over the 20+ years since graduation, we have lost touch and reconnected with each other several times. Our kids range in age from 2 to 13. The last time we were all together was our 20th high school reunion in ’05.

This weekend we will descend upon Boston like locust, or maybe more like five drunk housewives who can’t believe they have just left the kids with dad for two whole nights. If history has any bearing, it should be a very fun few days.

I mean, look at what we were up to in 1985:

Yes, those are the “French Fry guys”. I think I was red.

All I need to do now is start practicing this move, from Zoom, and the kids will truly be dazzled by my amazingness.

Comments

  1. Major Bedhead says

    I used to love The Electric Company.

    Was Zoom a local show or nationwide? I still can’t see that zip code without singing it. 😀

  2. Alpha DogMa says

    Nothing says, “we’re best friends” like matching perms.

    Loved that clip. Damn. Morgan Freeman was hot….uhhhmmm – still is kinda.

  3. nuttnbunny says

    Heavy… I heart you as a Fry Guy. Have a great time.

  4. That EZ clip is creepy. It’s like preschool porn– music and everything. Dig it! A few years ago I did some work with a film crew– the camera man was Bernadette’s husband. I flipped. Turns out that crazy arm thing is something her father taught her– it’s part of some samurai sword dance. Take that Zoom kids.

    Have a great weekend with the hussies. Boston beware…

  5. Oh my gosh. You’re only a few years behind me but I had completely forgotten about the Electric Company. Was that really MORGAN FREEMAN?

    Thanks to Major Bedhead for getting me stuck on that song. But can you sing Conjunction Junction?

    Have fun with your girlfriends–I’m not sure friendships between women ever are as good again.

  6. Gray Matter Matters says

    than-kyou, thank you (doo doo doo doo doo doo) tha-t rocked, that rocked (doo doo doo doo doo doo). I loved that show beyond words. Remember Spiderman? I loved seeing those old clips.
    Enjoy your time in Boston. Your husband will worship you when you get home.

  7. Gray Matter Matters says

    thank-you, thank you (doo doo doo doo doo doo) that-rocked, that rocked (doo doo doo doo doo doo). I loved that show beyond words. Remember Spiderman? I loved seeing those old clips.
    Enjoy your time in Boston. Your husband will worship you when you get home.

  8. Mrs. Chicky says

    You lucky woman! That sounds like so much fun.

    And I had Hampton Beach-wear just like that when I was younger. Oh, memories.

    And and, speaking of memories, I’ve been watching a lot of the Electric Company on YouTube lately. I had forgotten just how cool Easy Reader was!

  9. Oooh, oooh, oooh, I can still do that Zoom arm thing! Impressed the hell out of my 6 year old.

    Off now to go watch Electric Company clips and relive my childhood…

  10. Oh, nostalgia. I wonder if it’s summer that brings it out in us?

  11. I watched the Electric company clip in total awe, it was my favorite show as I remember and I can’t say it seemed even remotely familiar!

    Damn, I am losing it…. old age is creeping up on me.

  12. Lucy's Mom says

    I’m definitely an old fart. My kid used to love the Electric Company and I loved it because it kept her entertained and gave me some peace and quiet. Ah, memories.

    You’ve been tagged. Check out my blog for the rules.

  13. Lucy's Mom says

    Oh, I forgot! Have a blast in Boston!! Girlfriend get togethers are so much fun!! Drink one for me.

  14. Part of what made shows like Sesame Street and Zoom really work is that they were clearly done on two levels – one for kids, one for adults.

    i mean, come on, is “We saw a magic giant grow, and Gladys giggled ‘let me glow!'” and “he never seems to GET ENOUGH” while grinding against EZ all that innocent? Drug and sex references abound!

  15. Fairly Odd Mother says

    Major Bedhead, I always thought Zoom was national. . . 0-2-1-3-4! Also, you must know what a SASE is!

    Alpha Dogma, my redheaded friend’s hair is not a perm–she has the most awesome curly hair that now hangs in ringlets. That is not to say that I didn’t do the ‘matching perm thing’ with my other girlfiends. For you, I will post a photos soon that illustrates this.

    And, Barb, I have Schoolhouse Rock’s complete song catalog on DVD! LOL

    Thanks for all the well wishes. I’m home and as soon as I can think clearly and quiet these darned ‘shaky hands’, I’ll be recapping.

  16. creative-type dad says

    Totally awesome fry guys (gals)

  17. Oooooooh -two-oooooone- three-foooooour.

    Send it to ZOOM!

    Meanwhile, you haven’t changed hardly a bit since the 80s! Damn you.

  18. Her Bad Mother says

    Oh, dude. I love your french frie guys.

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