Gap

We watched the first episode of Ashes to Ashes the other night - the follow up series to Life on Mars. (Do y'all get that on BBC America?) Anyway, it's a weirdo show about time travelling cops who might or might not be dead, in a coma or genuinely sent back 30 years in time.

But whatever, the show is all about giving us a view of life in another era which we might or might not have lived through.

It does get you to thinking about how Buddy will see scenes on tv of people smoking in restaurants and bars and stuff and how alien that will be to him. Back in my day son, I'll say, we could light up in church.

Anyway, I think it all sort of reminded us of our generation gap. We're kinda old to be having kids. He thought it would be like the 50s to the 70s (our own childhoods) - but then realised that difference between us and Buddy is like the difference between us and someone born in 1933.

Someone born in 1933 might remember the needfulness of a childhood in depression, Pearl Harbor, would well remember World War II and advent of the civil rights movement. Someone born in 1933 would be old enough to shake their heads in disgust at those crazy kids protesting against the war in Viet Nam.

I'll be able to say I can remember where I was when I heard Reagan was shot. I can remember the Iranian hostage crisis. Heck, I remember where I was when I found out Bear Bryant was dead (apparently the 25th anniversary of his death was fairly recently).

But I don't know if any or which of these or what else will capture Buddy's imagination.