1950's Time Warp

My dad is a 50’s junkie. His basement is like a time warp, every authentic piece of 50’s décor imaginable hangs on the walls haphazardly like the stuff in an Applebee’s restaurant. There is so much loot that it may possibly be a fire hazard—really. He doesn’t just collect it, he lives it. He throws 50’s themed parties several times a year and drives clear across the state to see ‘the only really good’ Elvis impersonator when he is traveling the Michigan circuit.

Oddly, my dad was born in 1952, so his memories of the 50’s are not really vivid. No one really understands where this nostalgia comes from or why he is not stuck instead in the 1960’s when he was in middle and high school. The 60’s were a great decade as well.

A few weeks ago he asked my sister and I to attend a father/daughter dinner, later we found out it was 1950’s dress up costume party. Still how could we say no? So we went poodle skirts and all. The sock hop was this past Friday night, I’m not much for costume parties but I borrowed my mom’s attire anyways.

I felt silly dressed like a character straight out of Grease, especially when the average age of the daughters was about twelve. But I went for him and he had a great time. I am hopeful that my boys one day will be willing to do silly, goofy things like that for me. Maybe they will be able to step out of their comfort zone to appease dear old mom? As they get older I am sure I will begin to embarrass them because I won’t be that hip anymore. Right now, I am still young enough and I teach high school which makes me stay in tune with the in lingo and style. But I know that my time is coming. One day I will become like my dad, and be stuck in a decade that the younger generation cannot relate to, but hopefully still appreciate it.