ATB: Some of these events were observed by me as a good friend, some told to me as years passed, and some from surprisingly preserved original documents. But all that's important is I was there, and so were you-that I knew these people, and so did you. There's a subtext here, too. As we still struggle today with "equal gender rights" we often wonder where the "anti-feminist" male attitudes come from. Witness here the psychology of us guys. This all takes place a generation or two ago, when conditions, and mores were significantly different. You'll be in a small Midwestern town of less than 8, 000 population, one high school, creating such an atmosphere that today really doesn't seem like such a big deal. This is before mini-skirts, when anything above the knee was scandalous. Here, a glimpse of a stocking top sent boys into a frenzy. It's a millennium or two before "The Pill", and the more common "F" word for teenagers was "fink". Really, it was a long time ago, especially if you've recently gone through your late teens years, and certainly to parents everywhere. Beards and long hair? Your cue for laughter. The first pair of culottes was displayed then, the girl immediately suspended. Those were still the days of a Dean having a girl kneel down-if the skirt or dress material did not touch the floor, it was officially too short. Pants for girls? Are you kidding? Timewise, the war had already begun, and it wouldn't be long before the drug culture would spread. But, not just yet. This is about those days; some of it's funny, some sad. All of it was, and is, meaningful to me. I lived through it right along with Whatshername and John. I hope it will be for you.
