06/16/2007 [img]http://www.lulu.com/author/display_thumbnail.php?fCID=233184&fSize=detail_&1182017488[/img] NOW AND THEN Short Story By Aggie Driscoll 02/03/2004 My birth name is Agnes Quartarero. I married in 1970, to an Irish English man, and took the name Driscoll. Today, I am better known as Aggie Driscoll. I was born in Queens, New York. I was raised in Hoboken, New Jersey, a one mile square city with a population of approximately 50,000 people. Hoboken is a well-known city where many people visit because Manhattan lies across the Hudson River. Here the Hudson River is at its widest, approximately five miles wide. The New York skyline is one of its main tourist attractions. The Empire State Building, existing before the Worlds’ Trades Center and before the attack on 911. The city was a dock town, long-shore man traveling their goods along the Hudson, which brought civilization to the area long ago. I grew up with many cultures. I shared my life with a variety of people like Puerto Rican, Italian, Polish and Irish who were from the old countries. I also shared my life with the Hippie Culture and with them; they brought me their culture, traditions and beliefs, which I hold dear today. These people made me what I am today. Ask me about an event, which took place, in history during the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, which I could remember in detail. Ask me about any event, which took place yesterday and I cannot relate! My children always laugh at me when I joke about not remembering things. My oldest son says, “Mom, you seem to live in the past. Are you living in a time warp?” My purpose here is to express how nostalgia has a way of coloring our memories. Suddenly a flashback of summer, 1969, Woodstock Festival, we were “half a million strong.” Joni Mitchell. All of us were in the midst of a major Cultural Revolution and on this very day, a new culture was born. Life Magazine named the new culture, “Hippie.” Hence the Hippie Culture Movement was born. During the same time I also experienced the Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Liberation, Anti-War Movement, draft dodging and the concept of peace and love. Rock Bands like the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, a black man, electrifying the “National Anthem”, with his steel guitar. Re joycing to all the signs of Peace felt in the air. Janis Joplin singing “Bobbie McGee”, and Bob Dylan guiding me with, “The Times They Are a Changing.” Only then did the masses experience the moment of life. Only then did I feel a sense of purpose. All of us were heading in one direction and a worldwide common good towards mutual changes. Only then, long hair was a symbol of freedom. Song lyrics spoke about peace and love. Only then, did time and space move on a singular pattern. I really could be stuck in a time warp! However, Mother Nature tells me the only consistency in life is change, which brings my tale to the very essence of the present. Today I see swath stickers for tattoos. I hear songs singing hate, violence and suicide. When I approach someone who grows hair long on one side and short on the other my curiosity leads me into asking him, “What are you trying to tell me? Is there a message I am not hearing? Please tell me. I really want to know and understand. Is this message for everyone?” He begins to stare into my eyes. “You have eyes, tell me what you see,” he said. “I’m speaking form myself, you understand.” He said, “Go for it.” “I see a picture of confusion, doubt, insecurity, disrespect, and a lack of basic morals. Selfish and shameless children, seem to be aggressive, uncaring, and hateful to their parents. They seem fearless and, yet still afraid. I see a communication’s breakdown. Today, I can hear a very loud cry for help from a part of our Society that no one else seems too hear.” Back in the 60’s, I only worried about getting caught chewing gum in class. Now I worry about being searched for guns and drugs in class. One American dollar would buy a loaf of bread, milk, eggs, and butter, leaving enough change to buy a Devil Dog cake. Today, one dollar has little buying power. In the good old days, I would walk from school for lunch. Mom would be at home cooking hot Campbell’s Tomato Soup with a peanut butter sandwich. Today, most kids do not have a Mom at home to cook a lunch. Back in the 60’s, families consisted of a Mom and a Dad; quality time-shared was at the dinner table every night and family picnics’ on weekends. Then, we all recognized the “Ozzie and Harriet” in Mom and Dad. My memory of the good old days takes me back to a time when life was meaningful, warm, secure and nostalgic. Family values, love and understanding were instilled in me. Today I share these same cultural family values with my own sons, their wives and my two beautiful grandsons, Thomas and Luke. Like the song which sings, “Teach Your Children Well”, song by Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. My hope for tomorrow is that my family will continue to teach these same family values to their children and to their children and to their children’s children. PEACE BE WITH YOU Faceless Voices @ LuLu.com http://www.lulu.com/content/233184
I understood every word you just said sister! I wish I had been alive in the 60's. What's soceity coming to today? I sometimes feel I am the only kid left in the world who still wants peace, love and freedom. I want to start a revolution of love! Today, violence is encouraged by modern bands and stuff. What happend that made everything go so down hill? Sometimes I actually get upset because I am so alone in my lifestyle, but then all I need to do is log into hipforums and everyone brings me right back up again. You'll really enjoy yourself here. Peace to you and all your kind.
After I arrived back home from the diaster area, my employer immediately asked me if I smoked pot? I said, yes, but if you look at the cover of Life Magazine I am the only one with her clothes on! There went my job at RJ Tobacco Co., and my new life began traveling across the country. I finally gave up smoking pot at the age of 38. Life is still beautiful. Faceless Voices
