16 September 2011

1972

The Trad in '72


My Inspiration: Soul Train...

and my cousin's Esquire Magazine Oct 1970

I got a Nehru jacket the same year, man. Smoking cigarettes with Friday Shinnaberry in the junior high parking lot -- Mary Willersdorf comes over and asks for a Hampton Police Cadet Corps t shirt. The one with the short sleeves. Mary has the biggest breasts of any girl in 9th grade, but her face is a little smushed in. You know? Like one of those little dogs, her nose almost meets her chin. Not that it matters.

At home I find an extra t shirt. Size small. I laugh to myself. Mary calls and I take the kitchen wall phone receiver into the bathroom and close the door. She asks if I'll bring the t shirt to her house now since her parents are gone and won't be back for a couple hours. She'll try it on for me. I tell her it's a small. She tells me that's okay. It should fit. I tell her I'm on my way. I walk outta the bathroom. I'm dizzy. I'm scared. I'm so happy. I'm putting the receiver back and there's my mother.

"Yeah, well... I'm just heading over to Scott's house. He wanted a police cadet t shirt..." "You're not going anywhere. I heard you and you are not going to that girl's house." "You were...eaves dropping ?!" I turn it around and am pretty proud of myself and my vocabulary. After all, there's a lot at stake here. I add, "Can't I have any privacy in my own house?" That's good. I actually sound like a grown up. She snaps back, "No, you can't have any privacy and this is my house."

It's slipping away. What was there in the palm of my hand is turning into another fantasy for the palm. I can see Mary Willersdorf in that small t shirt running towards me while screaming her parents are gone. A lawn sprinkler comes on and 'Police Cadet' lettering folds into wet cleavage and dark areola while an early Fall chill marks the exclamation points. I wish my parents were gone, but there's always at least one of 'em hanging around. Minding my business.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oy. The 70s spawned a lot of cringe inducing childhood pics.

Great story!

John said...

"What was there in the palm of my hand is turning into another fantasy for the palm."

This may be the best sentence I've read all week.

John said...

"What was there in the palm of my hand is turning into another fantasy for the palm."

This may be the best sentence I've read all week.

tintin said...

Joe- Yeah, the '70s were a sartorial train wreck. I look like I was trying to get on Soul Train. A shame my mother didn't keep me away from that double knit shirt. But I didn't wind up a 15 year old father.

John- You doubled up on me but I think that's what we used to call changing hands without missing a stroke. Somehow the '70s and masturbation pairs well. Not sure why. I'm sure Oyster Guy can turn it into poetry better than I.

Oyster Guy said...

Is it possible that the 70's were the "peak" of men's magazines ? I might offer an opinion here and there Tintin, but I would/could never challenge your expertise...

Am I incorrect in imagining Miss Olive cringing at her desk, head in her hands, reading The Trad this morning and muttering "boys, boys boys...

tintin said...

Oyster- I think Esquire and Apparel Arts in the 30s were the peak but then I never did get the jump suits both GQ and Esquire were pushing on readers in the 70s.

Alice cringing at her desk? I certainly hope so.

Brohammas said...

Good parents... I know, I know, I'm on the wrong team here, but then you knew that already.

Oyster Guy said...

I was referring to porn mags and your pairing of the 70's and self gratification!

Anonymous said...

All I can say is, thank God for strong and powerful moms. Kept me out of real trouble, too.

I'm diggin' that - what is it? - rust-colored suede vest handicraft project you're sporting.

-DB

Alice Olive said...

Oh, goodness, I am blushing at Oyster Guy's concern on my behalf.

Alice Olive said...

Um, yeah, what are you wearing? I cannot criticize. I'm a child of the 70s, too. Purple cords and lime green turtlenecks.

Main Line Sportsman said...

Let us not overlook the collar on that shirt...
Taking the phone via long cord into another room is a phenomena and move so lost on today's kids...

M.Lane said...

This was one great post. The story of my first attempt to ask a girl for a date wasn't foiled by my mom but by HERS. Brutal.

Nice leather shirt. Sort of runeish.

ML
mlanesepic.blogspot.com

Jeff P. said...

"Nice leather shirt. Sort of runeish."

HaHaHa

Virginia Country House said...

My inspiration in "72...Hmmm... Susan Dey in The Partridge Family. Oh, and Mrs. Peel, and oh good lordy, The Mod Squad. I desperately wanted to be Peggy Lipton. Great Post!

No Hype said...

Top 10 easy

Reese said...

When I see pictures like yours, I'm always grateful that I wore a uniform to school from K - 12. I might have hated it, but it spared me so many potentially disastrous school photos.

tintin said...

Reese-
"...I wore a uniform to school from K - 12." Doesn't that result in a fairly monochrome scrap book?