I had to explain pay phones to my freshmen this year because of a picture of one in a workbook. Chicken fat is even more archaic than pay phones, dime sodas and non-microwave popcorn.
I remember it and not fondly. I was in 7th grade, read on an embarrassingly high reading level but had given up bike riding and softball because at 12, I didn't want to be a "tomboy"--whoa there is another archaic expression that needs to be explained to kids today. The last time I tried to explain it to a class--I think it is in "To Kill a Mockingbird"-- I said it was a girl who wanted to play boy games and dress like a boy. One of the kids asked "Why is that bad?" Thank God.
Anyway, girls of that era were expected to play a little volleyball--a much more mannerly sport than now, sunbathe, not swim--ever see those bouffant nightmares? They had to be maintained at all time when poolside. Maybe, if she were REALLy athletic, a girl could mince around a tennis court in a short skirt carrying a wooden racket.
By 7th grade the athlete in me had been stifled. I wore orthopedic oxfords and had more than a dab of chicken fat. I, of course, hated those awful calisthenics, we all did, but after the school workouts my bike became fun to ride again. We could get a learner's permit at 13 then--still can, so my friends had started driving everywhere. And smoking. I have always hated cigaret smoke and in those times everyone smoked. I didn't have to ride around in a car breathing in cigaret smoke. I could ride to the pool and library on my bike again. It was socially acceptable. TV said so. The President said so.
Commercials showed attractive girls riding bikes and actually swimming in the water. My girlfriends and I took a five mile hike to a local park. Lots of people were on the road hiking that day--it was a big thing! Our moms met us at the park and we had a picnic and water fight! I started swimming out to the diving raft at the lake, something I hadn't done since I was a kid of eleven. I lost weight, got blonder with flatter hair, joined a softball team and then--about a decade later Martina took the court with her 120 mph serve and it was cool to sweat!
Even as a mom with 3 kids I played town team volleyball, softball, played tennis, walked, rode my bike to and from work. Even as a great grammy I spent a good part of yesterday planting a tree, weeding, harvesting peaches. I look on Chicken Fat as a lifesaver! --s6
