different times
different cultures
different responses to similar surroundings

it is not so much tha I am old
it is more a matter that I grew up in a different time
the world was a different place
I was at a certain age
my age lead me to experience the 80's from the perspective of a teenager
which world lead to a focus of different set of priorities than a young grade schooler, a young adult, a young parent, or grumpy old fart may experience during this same era

there is a group house two doors down from my mount Pleasant home
there are some pretty cool kids there
they are creative and they are productive in their creativity
they are fun and they are interesting
they are young... but they are not kids
they are young adults
and I am an old fart
it is all relative

well...
when they have a party or a bbq I usually get invited by someone somehow
more than likely they are inviting me so that I won't be the old fart that called the cops
okay... just kidding
they invite me to chapparon
okay... just kidding
they invite me just "cause"

cause it is the neighborly thing to do
cause it is a party... the more the merrier
just cause

I always meet a few interesting people
we have awkward yet friendly conversations
as they look at me with certain suspicion wondering why I am not at home taking my Geratol

somewhere it is revealed that we grew up in different world
we grew up in different times
we grew up different
which make me old and them young
I become that old fart

somehow I just don't get their take on the 80's
these young hip counter culture kids love the 80's
not the Minor Threat at Landsburgh Culture Center, not the Henry Rollins spoken word thing ad DC Space, not just going to the 9:30 Club to dance, catch a band, to just hang out
not the community center shows and there was Fort Reno
it seemed that Government Issue and Iron Cross were the house band at the Wilson Center

no.. they gravatae more towards the pop Culture that was the 80's
more like a high school dance

sure in y past there were high school dances, of which I attended many
so Funk, Go-Go, and Pop R&B dance hits were part of my vocabulary
B-CC had very cool high school dances... Ed Mulaney packed the house
none students needed a pass that was approved the wednesay before the dance

and THRILLER!
ask anyone!
they can tell you where they were the night that Friday Night Videos had its WORLD PREMIER
MTV was not an option everywhere
cable was just starting the infection that HOMOGENIZED our country
Band Aid meant two things... my band aids as a youngster were flesh tone while my adolescent Band Aid include Paul Weller and Dan Akroyd...
riddle me that...

in any case

they have these really great parties with music, food, and fun
but I just don't get it
sure I love the music
but I do not hear quite what they hear
guess I hear what an old fart hears

vh1's version

my point?
not quite sure
still trying to figure it all out