Lanterna Rally

Author: Edwin F. Becker

Publisher: Author House

Published: 2011-04-27

Total Pages: 147

ISBN-13: 1456762796

What if you could take your grandchildren on a trip back in time to 1956? This novel combines nostalgia with a grandparents special relationship with his grandchildren in a tale of time travel. As he clearly sees their reality, he resents the blatant deterioration of our current society. Evident is the results of inflation, moral degradation, and the destruction of family values. It is his intent that though their view of the future is dim, and having been a victim of child of abuse himself, to show them that their ten year old lives will soon change, and what they observe and experience will never control their destiny. Imagine a grandfather taking his granddaughters on journey back in time, when he was their age and the year was 1956. Together, he shares what his life was like as he walks with them as equals in this innocent age of nickel pop and penny candy. His relationship with his granddaughters is a close one, and he mourns the loss of so many freedoms that he enjoyed when he was their age. They would nver know a parent sending them out to play and saying, be home before dark, or, just stay in the neighborhood. At ten years old, in 2011, they unfortunately are aware of what the word predator means, and having their television censored for foul language or sexual content. So when telling them of the Mickey Mouse Club, or Winky Dink, they laugh as if it was all fantasy and a fabrication of their Grandpas mind. He shares a special bond with them, because two are in a broken home shattered by divorce, and two are adopted and have formerly suffered the abuse of the foster care system. Being a product of a broken home and abuse himself, he understands their fears and recognizes that this new generation is having their childhood and innocence destroyed by our culture. So at the critical age of ten, he lets them visit an era when children could walk freely to the park. A time before electronics dominated and interaction with friends and family was all important. A time before musical lyrics were censored, yet those 'Oldies but Goodies' were considered so threatening, as Rock and Roll was born. He sees his little girls being thrust into a very adult world long before their time. Where texting has replaced direct communication, and where the games he once played in the park are now played on video. He resents this society where children must guard against dark elements that he never knew of at their age. He understands the age of tween," where short of adolescence, they have an astute perception of adult problems that they already are beginning to worry, yet are still very much children. He is sorry for the deterioration of society that forces his granddaughters to exist in a culture of Amber Alerts and sex offender registries. At ten years old, they already have a dim view of relationships, being surrounded with a population where nearly 50% of children have broken homes and experience either single parent homes, or stepparents. Having stated when I was your age, so many times they find it unbelievable, he gives them a glimpse of the past. When men stood and gave a woman their seat and a time when a movie could be seen for a dime. An age when soda fountains made ice cream creations and each neighborhood had one, and when phones had party lines that were shared by multiple families, in a golden time when everything came in glass bottles and people were happy with black and white television and only three channels. It was an age when children could truly be children and purchase toys like BB guns and bows and arrows and where every boy had a pocket knife to peel an apple. A time when girls had miniature electric sewing machines, dinner sets with real knives and forks, and electric ovens. Where instead having to learn martial arts for self defense, he shows them a time when man would never lay a hand on woman, and no such situation would even be considered for viewing in television or movies. It was when comic books were affordable, and like Classics Illustrated, even educational, as a preview of great literary works. This is story of love and relationships, with the nostalgia that comes from remembering the Good Humor man, and Mickey Mouse Club. It was a decade when most had no air conditioning and screen doors and windows were left open without a care. It was a time when we looked forward to a future that held such promise and hope. Remember when our media promoted family values? Hopefully, this will recapture some warm memories and understanding what our children are suffering today from a grandparents perspective.