Claire V. Bogdanos

“We have met the enemy and he is ours”, Perry.  What more can we add ?  The history of this nation leaves one both amazed and aghast, a dichotomy of kindness and cruelty, of simplicity and barbarism.  Who are we?  The new Jerusalem or Hades personified or perhaps a bit of both ?  Who IS the enemy ?  “Not I”  said the duck, “not I”, said the goose,  oh well, someone is !  It was much less complicated when I was a girl ( early 40’s ) in the era of black and white films, the hero always wore the white hat, e.i. Gene Autry, and the villain wore black, with the exception of Hopalong Cassidy !  You see ? During  World War Two the bad guy always had an accent and sported a glass monocle, today that would be called “profiling”.  Who knew ?  On a rainy Saturday you’d get a dime, a sandwich wrapped in wax paper and after chores, you’d go to the local cinema to spend the day, instead of the mall which had not yet been “imagined” or necessary !  The venue began with coming attractions, a comedy short, movietone news, serial episode, sports special, B film, cartoon and main attraction.  Wow !  No Bingo on Saturday.  However a 2  cent luxury tax was added later in the war.  No one turned on the lights to empty the theatre between the showings, you simply took turns in the restrooms and returned to your seats on which you had left your sweater or jacket.  How’s that grab you ?  Care to try that today ?  Don’t get me started on Dish Night,  you”ll  have to ask your grandma about that !

Sincerely,                                   Claire B.