1968 was an eventful year in America. Robert Kennedy and Martin Luther King were both assassinated, Vietnam war protests were happening, and Andy Warhol was shot in June of that year. I was 13 then, so these significant events were only in the background of my life.
My favorite birthday was in 1968. To that point, I never had a brand-new bike. Money was tight, so my dad and I would acquire old bicycles which we would then refurbish. We had a party a Conte’s Bar on Birch Street for my sister’s graduation from Scranton Tech, and were celebrating my birthday at the same time. I expected small gifts but certainly not a new bike.
My mom and dad led me to the front room and there sat my new 20” bike with a banana seat and a chrome fork integrated into the steering neck (similar to the picture). It was the bicycle of my dreams! I rode it in the alley next to Conte’s during the party. For the next few years, I rode it constantly and kept the chrome and paint polished. At age 16, cars came into the picture and the bike was worn out.
I have some great memories of birthday’s past, but 1968 stands out. 55 years later, I appreciate the people around me more than anything material.
Funny how time changes perspectives!
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