BOOMER by Tim Engel (heaven official's blessing novel english .txt) 📖

time she had fallen for one of the members of The Eagles singing group. I don’t think I could compete with him…Joni is also a poet, singer, song writer. She is from Canada. Has strong politics, and still smokes. She says she still smokes because of her sensitive nervous system. I know people in their 80’s who smoke. God’s speed, Joni – I hope smoking never hurts you! She also paints. She is a true artist.
The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean gave Southern California their surf music. “She’s real fine, my 409, she’s real fine my 409, my 444444ooooooo99999999!!” “Little Deuce Coupe” by the Beach Boys. Now Dad had to buy this album – and many years later he would HAVE a Little Deuce Coupe! A ’32 Roadster. A great year for people AND cars – the year my Mom was born. I think everyone loved their music. Later the Beach Boys would play in Washington DC as guests of the President of the United States. Just a little beach band. Hmmm. Came out of Torrance – a town nearby where McDonnell Douglas used to build most of their parts. “She’s real fine, my 409!!!” Well I saved my pennies and I saved my dimes…before I knew there would be a time…giddy up giddy up 409! Giddy up! A cowboy term!? Nothing can catch her, nothing can touch my 409!
Well, the closest I came to a 409 in those days was Kevin Olsenz driving his Dad’s Malibu. Tom and I would go cruising with Kevin and the Malibu had 4 on the floor. We raced everything that we could – up and down Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). I was probably 13 and Tom and Kevin were 16. And the Malibu was just fast. I remember Mr Olsenz calling it ‘transportation’. However, I remember in practice, Kevin saying “race car!” And it was a blast. It was as thrilling as it gets. 13 – hormones starting to flow, getting to hang out with Tom and Kevin. In a full fledged piece of American Iron, baby! This car was rockin’!!
“I was crusing in my Sting Ray late one night, when an XKE pulled up on the right…” Oh, yea – Jan and Dean – 1964 – Dead Man’s Curve. “Dead Man’s Curve – won’t come back from dead man’s curve…” The last thing I remember Doc, I started to swerve, then I saw the Jag slide into the curve.” Surf City ballad – yeah, baby. “The Little Old Lady from Pasadena.” Jan and Dean – one went to USC, one went to UCLA. Cross town rivals!! “Go granny Go granny Go granny Go!!”
The Jimi Hendrix Experience. I remember Tom buying this album, too. All Along The Watchtower – Electric Ladyland. Purple Haze. Some consider him to be the greatest electric guitarist in history. He along with other stars of the era died young. Of excess. Of drug and alcohol abuse. For those of us who survived, we are thankful. Because many who lived in and through this era emulated the stars. It seemed OK to use drugs and alcohol. And some did and some didn’t make it through their youth.


BOOMER LEGACY
What is the Boomer legacy? The promise was they were going to change the world. Hippies, rock and roll, Vietnam demonstrations, drugs. We were self-absorbed, self-consumed, over-consuming sometimes. There was probably never a generation so blessed. WWII was over, and Dads came home and millions of families were made and the economy turned from overseas fighting an enemy to prosperity at home. Meaning Homes, Cars, TV’s, bikes, food, and bigger homes.
Tom Brokaw did a report on Boomers and when asked his opinion of the generation, he replied ‘unrealized’. Because you planned to change the world and really didn’t. well, that’s interesting. So there was the Lost Generation who fought WWI. The Greatest Generation who fought WWII. The Silent Generation who were grew up during WWII. And the boomers. Bill Clinton is a boomer – and when Brokaw asked him about being the boomer President, he didn’t shy away. And when asked about the Boomers not meeting their potential, he replied (very well, I think) “How can the Greatest Generation be considered bad parents? They fought and won WWII, how could they then be generally considered failures as parents?” Good point, I think. When asked how they could finish well, Clinton replied with lots and lots of volunteer work. I can’t argue with that. And I do enjoy serving. Volunteer work. Tom has gotten much of our family involved in Volunteer work at Shipley Nature Center and in raising money for the Huntington Beach teen homeless shelter. I have been volunteering at my Church for 10 years now.
Tom’s kids have been volunteering for years – even while still in High School. Kenny started volunteering at the Huntington Beach library and later at the Long Beach Aquarium. “Step back from the maneater!” Kenny would yell when people got too close to the sharks or rays. His younger brother Ty would volunteer with the handicapped kids helping them to ‘run’ the basepaths at baseball games by pushing their wheel chairs. And Tom got us all involved in the Special Olympics – Tom, Kyle, Kenny, Ty and I have been volunteering at the Long Beach State Summer Olympics for about 10 years now. There are times where the kids are busy with school or whatever, but we have been steady supporters.
Mom and Dad, Pop, and Katie (Dad’s 2nd wife) all loved us. We probably were very spoiled. But we also tried to help out. And we had chores. Tom and I both did the yards and also helped out with other household chores such as cleaning the carpet and the mirrors. We got nice allowances. At our peak, I think we were getting $8 a week! In the 60’s that was pretty good money! I remember when Mom loaned me money to buy a motorcycle I was working at the time. Well, then there was a time when I decided to quit and Mom even let me work around the home to pay back part of the money.


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Publication Date: 12-07-2010

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