American Nostalgia
Introduction.
It was the morning of my fifth day of 11th grade, and I wasn't exactly happy beginning to see my classmates nearly everyday for another year. However, the first days of school thrilled me anyway, because it's right around my birthday. This day, August 24th, 2012, it was the day right before it, and it made me pretty excited. Especially since it was my 16th birthday.
Because my birthday was on a Saturday this year, I woke up on this Friday with the knowledge that my friends would have something for me for sure. That alone had kept me from being annoyed that I had to be in a building with a majority of people that I didn't like in it. I even felt myself spring out of bed when my alarm had first gone off. My best friends always knew exactly what to get me, guaranteed.
After quickly getting dressed and ready for the day, I ran down the carpeted stairs of my house to get a bite of breakfast before I had to leave. My mom greeted me with a smile on her face, noticing my excitement.
“Morning, Kylie,” she said, “You ready for today?”
“Of course,” I grinned back at her. What would Jackie and Caitlyn could have gotten me this year? They knew me best, and they knew what came to my mind more than anything else.
I was born in the wrong time period. Any other time seemed so much better than this. But there were two decades that I loved in particular. And last year, I had taken AP US History: the class that allowed me to study more of the pop culture of those two decades. When I did, it just made my heart flutter.
The first was the 1920s. Obviously we weren't getting that excitement back; it was nearly 100 years ago. But just the carefree attitude that they had in that time, and the way women were breaking out of the shell they had been in for so long and not even giving a fuck, it all made me nostalgic for something I'd never even been a part of. I just wish I could have experienced it for myself, but that was impossible.
And the second, of course, was the 1950s. The music, the clothes, the respect most people had for each other in that time. The tight-knit families and neighborhoods. The music. The television shows that nearly the whole country watched because there were only three channels. The slang. Did I mention the music? I swear, 50s music was the only thing I would listen to. Well that, and music of the 1920s, of course. The popular music in my own era was so risque and repetitive. I couldn't believe I had to be representative of this kind of trash in the future. There must have been a mistake when I was born, because I sure as hell did not belong here.
Freshman year, my friends had made me a playlist of 1920s songs that they had 'doubted I would have heard.' I had already heard them, but it was still amazing. But last year was even better. They had managed to acquire a television set from the 1950s that I could have in my room. Although I could still only watch shows from 2012 on it, it looked perfect in my room and I could still feel like I was living in the '50s, just a little bit.
On this day, I was hoping that maybe they would get me something like a record player and some 45s with ACTUAL B-sides (not that second song on a CD with a band's single on it that sometimes happened in our time). Or maybe an old Barbie doll, or some old Elvis memorabilia. As you can tell...out of the two decades, the 50s was definitely my favorite.
As I walked in to the English classroom that morning and noticed the big box on Jackie's desk as she gave me an expectant grin, I knew it had to be something good. Cait had tried to get me to cover my eyes before I could see it, but obviously failed. They both handed me the box, ready to see my reaction.
I ripped the paper off as fast as I could, and my breath stopped for a moment as I practically threw the top of the box on the desk. I grabbed the garment and held in out in front of me. It was a classic, yellow 1950s dress with a black bow around the waist. I looked down at the box to notice that there was also a sailor hat with the same black bow resting within it.
Before I could do anything, both of the girls hugged me with a squeal, knowing I had enjoyed it.
“I hope it fits you,” Jackie said, unsure, “I saw it at the thrift store and immediately thought of you. I'm so glad you like it.”
“I thought the hat would look good with it too, don't you think?” Caitlyn laughed, putting it on my head. I smiled at her and took it off before the teacher could see. Our school was so stupidly strict about wearing hats in the building. But none the less, I gave her a happy nod. Their gifts just keep getting better and better, each year.
–
The rest of the day had passed relatively quickly. I hadn't paid any attention to my studies for once, however. I was just too excited to just go home and try on the dress that seemed to suit me so well. And you best believe that the moment I stepped into my house, I ran up the carpeted stairs once again and whipped the box right out of my bag.
Once on, I tied the ribbon around the waist and secured the hat upon my head. Twirling around in circles until I became dizzy and almost nauseated. I grabbed my laptop from under my bed and turned on “If You Want To Be Happy” by Jimmy Soul. Dancing around my room, with the noticing the TV every time I had turned and in my new dress, I felt like I could have actually been in the 1950s for a second. It fit perfectly.
I didn't even do my homework that night, at all. I only spent my entire afternoon dancing to more songs and wishing to myself that I could actually be a teenager in the 1950s. It was so much better.
“So, so, much better,” I whispered, falling onto my bed. I turned to my retro-style clock to notice that it had just turned midnight right before I drifted off into a nice, peaceful sleep, still in my dress.
Because my birthday was on a Saturday this year, I woke up on this Friday with the knowledge that my friends would have something for me for sure. That alone had kept me from being annoyed that I had to be in a building with a majority of people that I didn't like in it. I even felt myself spring out of bed when my alarm had first gone off. My best friends always knew exactly what to get me, guaranteed.
After quickly getting dressed and ready for the day, I ran down the carpeted stairs of my house to get a bite of breakfast before I had to leave. My mom greeted me with a smile on her face, noticing my excitement.
“Morning, Kylie,” she said, “You ready for today?”
“Of course,” I grinned back at her. What would Jackie and Caitlyn could have gotten me this year? They knew me best, and they knew what came to my mind more than anything else.
I was born in the wrong time period. Any other time seemed so much better than this. But there were two decades that I loved in particular. And last year, I had taken AP US History: the class that allowed me to study more of the pop culture of those two decades. When I did, it just made my heart flutter.
The first was the 1920s. Obviously we weren't getting that excitement back; it was nearly 100 years ago. But just the carefree attitude that they had in that time, and the way women were breaking out of the shell they had been in for so long and not even giving a fuck, it all made me nostalgic for something I'd never even been a part of. I just wish I could have experienced it for myself, but that was impossible.
And the second, of course, was the 1950s. The music, the clothes, the respect most people had for each other in that time. The tight-knit families and neighborhoods. The music. The television shows that nearly the whole country watched because there were only three channels. The slang. Did I mention the music? I swear, 50s music was the only thing I would listen to. Well that, and music of the 1920s, of course. The popular music in my own era was so risque and repetitive. I couldn't believe I had to be representative of this kind of trash in the future. There must have been a mistake when I was born, because I sure as hell did not belong here.
Freshman year, my friends had made me a playlist of 1920s songs that they had 'doubted I would have heard.' I had already heard them, but it was still amazing. But last year was even better. They had managed to acquire a television set from the 1950s that I could have in my room. Although I could still only watch shows from 2012 on it, it looked perfect in my room and I could still feel like I was living in the '50s, just a little bit.
On this day, I was hoping that maybe they would get me something like a record player and some 45s with ACTUAL B-sides (not that second song on a CD with a band's single on it that sometimes happened in our time). Or maybe an old Barbie doll, or some old Elvis memorabilia. As you can tell...out of the two decades, the 50s was definitely my favorite.
As I walked in to the English classroom that morning and noticed the big box on Jackie's desk as she gave me an expectant grin, I knew it had to be something good. Cait had tried to get me to cover my eyes before I could see it, but obviously failed. They both handed me the box, ready to see my reaction.
I ripped the paper off as fast as I could, and my breath stopped for a moment as I practically threw the top of the box on the desk. I grabbed the garment and held in out in front of me. It was a classic, yellow 1950s dress with a black bow around the waist. I looked down at the box to notice that there was also a sailor hat with the same black bow resting within it.
Before I could do anything, both of the girls hugged me with a squeal, knowing I had enjoyed it.
“I hope it fits you,” Jackie said, unsure, “I saw it at the thrift store and immediately thought of you. I'm so glad you like it.”
“I thought the hat would look good with it too, don't you think?” Caitlyn laughed, putting it on my head. I smiled at her and took it off before the teacher could see. Our school was so stupidly strict about wearing hats in the building. But none the less, I gave her a happy nod. Their gifts just keep getting better and better, each year.
–
The rest of the day had passed relatively quickly. I hadn't paid any attention to my studies for once, however. I was just too excited to just go home and try on the dress that seemed to suit me so well. And you best believe that the moment I stepped into my house, I ran up the carpeted stairs once again and whipped the box right out of my bag.
Once on, I tied the ribbon around the waist and secured the hat upon my head. Twirling around in circles until I became dizzy and almost nauseated. I grabbed my laptop from under my bed and turned on “If You Want To Be Happy” by Jimmy Soul. Dancing around my room, with the noticing the TV every time I had turned and in my new dress, I felt like I could have actually been in the 1950s for a second. It fit perfectly.
I didn't even do my homework that night, at all. I only spent my entire afternoon dancing to more songs and wishing to myself that I could actually be a teenager in the 1950s. It was so much better.
“So, so, much better,” I whispered, falling onto my bed. I turned to my retro-style clock to notice that it had just turned midnight right before I drifted off into a nice, peaceful sleep, still in my dress.