..this is an early draft of a childrens book I have written, from
memories of childhood...I have photos to insert, and have made contact
with some publishers, and magazines to get a feel for publishing...just
wanted to share for comments... Jon
AMERICA TIMMY KNEW
A children’s guide to simpler times
By Jon J. Tucci
America used to be innocent; a simpler life we somehow have lost, or forgot. This short print is the way one boy from small town America began his day.
CHAPTER ONE
Every Saturday morning Timmy would jump out of bed, after his Mother gently called for him to come into the kitchen and have some breakfast.
Of course his first action was to turn on the TV to watch cartoons with his little brother Ben. They loved Hanna-Barbara cartoons, like the Jetsons, or the Flintstones’.
Or maybe walk over to the TV set to change channels to watch Wiley Coyote or Scooby-Doo; yes this was before channel changers…we actually had to get off the couch.
His mother would ask Timmy if he wanted eggs and toast or “Frosted Flakes”… Timmy loved Tony the Tiger commercials…”there great”….”Frosted Flakes” he would holler…and so did his parrot brother Ben….”Frosted Flakes”…of course Mom knew they wouldn’t come to the breakfast table so she lovingly brought both of them a bowl of “Frosted Flakes” in milk with a big spoon.
After an hour of TV, Mom would say…go brush your teeth wash your face and get outside…outside, that was the start of adventure….Timmy knew his new Schwinn bicycle was waiting in the garage ready to fly….Ben was just learning to ride so he needed help with training wheels….Timmy always helped his little brother with a push out of the driveway.
Timmy had a piggy bank with loose change that his Dad always filled up as much as he could….it was a source of nickels and dimes a boy needed…washed and ready for the day…Timmy and Ben are on the street…no helmets, no knee pads…just the wind in their hair and plastic handle bar grips waving in the air…they ride over to their friends house….”Stevie” they screamed to their best friend….”let’s go get a “Nehi” at Mr. Benson’s store….The cooler was full of cold crisp pop soda in many flavors…”Grape Nehi”, “Orange Nehi”, “Coca-Cola”…and only a nickel for a small one….Ben of course couldn’t reach down into the cooler, so his big brother would grab his favorite “Nehi Orange” and a grape for himself….Stevie was a coke man and loved to burp chugging a big shot…the boys were happy and on their way.
Stevie yelled…”let’s ride down to the park near the creek and skip some rocks…the boys preceded to ride to the City Park….after skipping rocks…Stevie always won…he was a bigger boy, and stronger…
they sat down under a tree and Stevie pulled out his very used sack of “Ball-Jacks”
This game was a form of relaxation and hand eye coordination…Timmy was very good at it and always beat the other two….enough of sitting around…it’s time to ride…
they b-line to Stevie’s house…his Mom is busy in the laundry room…on comes the TV…
it’s “Mighty Mouse”
“Here I come to save the day”….Ben stands up and cheers…..the boys laugh….
Stevie is playing on the stairs with his “Slinky” as Ben and Timmy watch in amazement Stevie’s Mom walks through the living room and says….”it’s a beautiful day outside, why aren’t you boys outside”…she’s right they agree…they jump up and run outside…we were always outside…most of the time till dark…or we heard…”Timmy come home…dinner’s ready”.
The boys were on a journey now…it’s time to be “boys”….pumping there “Keds” tennis shoes they race a couple blocks past “Dairy Queen” and “McDonalds”….hoping that Mom and Dad will again have a night out for some “fast food” and desserts…favorite times….
They come upon what looks like a “whiffle ball game”….they hit their brakes and slide sideways in the gravel…cool job…. local boys are running the bases and gathering players…it’s time to choose sides…ok, Stevie grabs the bat and tells “Brian” the other neighborhood friend to a standoff…one hand above the other. they choose sides…of course little Ben is placed on his brother’s team….and he’s the first up to bat….the game concludes in a tie and all the boys…jump back on their bikes for a ride….Timmy saw a “phone booth” by Dairy Queen…his Mother always reminded Timmy to take the time to look around your surroundings…know where to call “Mom” or “Dad” if there’s an accident….
The daylight is waning and Timmy knows that he and Ben should be getting back closer to home…kids knew and took responsibility in these times…as they were riding home…Ben’s shaky cycling took a turn for the worst…he ran over the curb and fell off his bike….oh no…scratched up his knee pretty good…Timmy being the big brother…told Stevie to pull his bike into his yard…and he would come back and get it.
Big brother placed his little brother Ben on the little bike and began to gently walk him home…he yelled for his Mother from the yard…”Ben had a wreck and his knee is bleeding”…of course Mom came to see what had happened and ran back in the house to get some Mercurochrome and a Band-Aid…
Boo boo fixed and all is well…that’s what big brothers are supposed to do.
CHAPTER TWO
Sunday comes too soon for Timmy and Ben…out of bed and in front of the TV again…watching cartoons…Mom yells, “boys wash up…get your Sunday best on its time to go to Church…a family tradition back then.
Sitting in Church with Mom and Dad was a tough schedule for any young boys…full of energy and restless they pick on each other until Mom whispers…”stop it”…and I mean it”….they are amazed at the old lady in the pew in front of them…she has layered over her neck a “mink stole”
And, the glass eyes are eerily looking at Ben…he thinks…they giggle…and get Mom’s staring eyes again…
Now, out of Church and out of those clothes…the T-shirt and Keds are in place…after Lunch at the local diner….it’s time for riding bikes and exploring the neighborhood…off to Stevie’s house to grab their friend….Stevie comes out and growls at Ben…teasing…like a big bear…what can we do now Timmy…
CHAPTER THREE
“Let’s go down to the train station and smash some pennies”…ok the boys agree…
On their bikes and riding with the wind, they stop by the train station to watch the railroad workers turn an engine around 180 degrees to grease and work on the engine…the boys are amazed at this huge turntable that moves this heavy engines around….
It’s a hot day so Timmy suggests the boys go to Mr. Benson’s to grab a “Popsicle”…off they ride. As they walk up the wooden steps…Mr. Benson is outside sweeping off the dust and brushing away the road dirt on the vegetable baskets he has on the porch….”Hello Mr. Benson, they say….”hello boys, having fun today…going to be a hot one”….yea, Stevie says…got any grape “Popsicles”…”sure do boys…look in the freezer….a nickel apiece and their on their way….riding and licking the cool “Popsicle”…life is good.
CHAPTER FOUR
The boys stop by a big shade tree in front of their school to finish off their treat….laying the bikes on the ground….Stevie pulls out a comic book of their favorite hero “Captain America”…they jam together so all could see Stevie flip the pages…
Stevie says, “Captain America is the coolest superhero”…Timmy says…he likes ‘Batman” better…they laugh…Ben says “I’d like to see those two battle…that would be awesome”….on the sidewalk are 4 girls “jumping rope and signing a song”….the boys are not interested in girls..yet..but, want to try jumping…Stevie’s timing is a little off since he doesn’t do this every day…the kids laugh while socializing like only kids can do….Timmy tries his hand at jumping…
not bad, not bad at all one of the girls says…
Ok, ok, says Stevie…enough of this girls stuff…we’ve got some riding to do…the boys jump on their bikes and quickly spin out with their handle bar streaming gleaming in the wind…
CHAPTER FIVE
Riding down the street Timmy notices Mr. Gleason, (the local custodian and safety leader) sweeping around the always funny looking entrance to the “bomb shelter”…these were built during the 1950’s and 1960’s…in case foreign countries dropped “the big bomb” on us….the boys slid into the curb to say hello to Mr. Gleason…he invited the boys to go inside and look at the inner chamber….this was exciting for the boys…not really knowing the reality of it all…they sat on the bench and stared at the metal walls and enclosed lamp on the ceiling….
An exciting day for the boys…and a lesson….in those days…fear of foreign engagement was a reality.
Chapter Six
Time to head home it was almost dinner time…and they never missed a meal…or never were too far from home…when Mom and Dad wanted you to sit at the dinner table…like family should do…they knew that life was good…and family came first….Mom always had their favorites on the table…Timmy especially liked his Mom’s “Mac & cheese”…..and a slice of “meatloaf”…that was the best…after dinner the boys were allowed to watch an hour or so of television…of course Dad controlled the TV…so it was either the “Ed Sullivan show”
or “Carol Burnett” …
take your pick….
Those innocent times are long gone…and the family unit is a past encounter…but…memories are important…and we will always have those…goodnight Timmy, Ben and Stevie…wherever you are.
AMERICA TIMMY KNEW
A children’s guide to simpler times
By Jon J. Tucci
America used to be innocent; a simpler life we somehow have lost, or forgot. This short print is the way one boy from small town America began his day.
CHAPTER ONE
Every Saturday morning Timmy would jump out of bed, after his Mother gently called for him to come into the kitchen and have some breakfast.
Of course his first action was to turn on the TV to watch cartoons with his little brother Ben. They loved Hanna-Barbara cartoons, like the Jetsons, or the Flintstones’.
Or maybe walk over to the TV set to change channels to watch Wiley Coyote or Scooby-Doo; yes this was before channel changers…we actually had to get off the couch.
His mother would ask Timmy if he wanted eggs and toast or “Frosted Flakes”… Timmy loved Tony the Tiger commercials…”there great”….”Frosted Flakes” he would holler…and so did his parrot brother Ben….”Frosted Flakes”…of course Mom knew they wouldn’t come to the breakfast table so she lovingly brought both of them a bowl of “Frosted Flakes” in milk with a big spoon.
After an hour of TV, Mom would say…go brush your teeth wash your face and get outside…outside, that was the start of adventure….Timmy knew his new Schwinn bicycle was waiting in the garage ready to fly….Ben was just learning to ride so he needed help with training wheels….Timmy always helped his little brother with a push out of the driveway.
Timmy had a piggy bank with loose change that his Dad always filled up as much as he could….it was a source of nickels and dimes a boy needed…washed and ready for the day…Timmy and Ben are on the street…no helmets, no knee pads…just the wind in their hair and plastic handle bar grips waving in the air…they ride over to their friends house….”Stevie” they screamed to their best friend….”let’s go get a “Nehi” at Mr. Benson’s store….The cooler was full of cold crisp pop soda in many flavors…”Grape Nehi”, “Orange Nehi”, “Coca-Cola”…and only a nickel for a small one….Ben of course couldn’t reach down into the cooler, so his big brother would grab his favorite “Nehi Orange” and a grape for himself….Stevie was a coke man and loved to burp chugging a big shot…the boys were happy and on their way.
Stevie yelled…”let’s ride down to the park near the creek and skip some rocks…the boys preceded to ride to the City Park….after skipping rocks…Stevie always won…he was a bigger boy, and stronger…
they sat down under a tree and Stevie pulled out his very used sack of “Ball-Jacks”
This game was a form of relaxation and hand eye coordination…Timmy was very good at it and always beat the other two….enough of sitting around…it’s time to ride…
they b-line to Stevie’s house…his Mom is busy in the laundry room…on comes the TV…
it’s “Mighty Mouse”
“Here I come to save the day”….Ben stands up and cheers…..the boys laugh….
Stevie is playing on the stairs with his “Slinky” as Ben and Timmy watch in amazement Stevie’s Mom walks through the living room and says….”it’s a beautiful day outside, why aren’t you boys outside”…she’s right they agree…they jump up and run outside…we were always outside…most of the time till dark…or we heard…”Timmy come home…dinner’s ready”.
The boys were on a journey now…it’s time to be “boys”….pumping there “Keds” tennis shoes they race a couple blocks past “Dairy Queen” and “McDonalds”….hoping that Mom and Dad will again have a night out for some “fast food” and desserts…favorite times….
They come upon what looks like a “whiffle ball game”….they hit their brakes and slide sideways in the gravel…cool job…. local boys are running the bases and gathering players…it’s time to choose sides…ok, Stevie grabs the bat and tells “Brian” the other neighborhood friend to a standoff…one hand above the other. they choose sides…of course little Ben is placed on his brother’s team….and he’s the first up to bat….the game concludes in a tie and all the boys…jump back on their bikes for a ride….Timmy saw a “phone booth” by Dairy Queen…his Mother always reminded Timmy to take the time to look around your surroundings…know where to call “Mom” or “Dad” if there’s an accident….
The daylight is waning and Timmy knows that he and Ben should be getting back closer to home…kids knew and took responsibility in these times…as they were riding home…Ben’s shaky cycling took a turn for the worst…he ran over the curb and fell off his bike….oh no…scratched up his knee pretty good…Timmy being the big brother…told Stevie to pull his bike into his yard…and he would come back and get it.
Big brother placed his little brother Ben on the little bike and began to gently walk him home…he yelled for his Mother from the yard…”Ben had a wreck and his knee is bleeding”…of course Mom came to see what had happened and ran back in the house to get some Mercurochrome and a Band-Aid…
Boo boo fixed and all is well…that’s what big brothers are supposed to do.
CHAPTER TWO
Sunday comes too soon for Timmy and Ben…out of bed and in front of the TV again…watching cartoons…Mom yells, “boys wash up…get your Sunday best on its time to go to Church…a family tradition back then.
Sitting in Church with Mom and Dad was a tough schedule for any young boys…full of energy and restless they pick on each other until Mom whispers…”stop it”…and I mean it”….they are amazed at the old lady in the pew in front of them…she has layered over her neck a “mink stole”
And, the glass eyes are eerily looking at Ben…he thinks…they giggle…and get Mom’s staring eyes again…
Now, out of Church and out of those clothes…the T-shirt and Keds are in place…after Lunch at the local diner….it’s time for riding bikes and exploring the neighborhood…off to Stevie’s house to grab their friend….Stevie comes out and growls at Ben…teasing…like a big bear…what can we do now Timmy…
CHAPTER THREE
“Let’s go down to the train station and smash some pennies”…ok the boys agree…
On their bikes and riding with the wind, they stop by the train station to watch the railroad workers turn an engine around 180 degrees to grease and work on the engine…the boys are amazed at this huge turntable that moves this heavy engines around….
It’s a hot day so Timmy suggests the boys go to Mr. Benson’s to grab a “Popsicle”…off they ride. As they walk up the wooden steps…Mr. Benson is outside sweeping off the dust and brushing away the road dirt on the vegetable baskets he has on the porch….”Hello Mr. Benson, they say….”hello boys, having fun today…going to be a hot one”….yea, Stevie says…got any grape “Popsicles”…”sure do boys…look in the freezer….a nickel apiece and their on their way….riding and licking the cool “Popsicle”…life is good.
CHAPTER FOUR
The boys stop by a big shade tree in front of their school to finish off their treat….laying the bikes on the ground….Stevie pulls out a comic book of their favorite hero “Captain America”…they jam together so all could see Stevie flip the pages…
Stevie says, “Captain America is the coolest superhero”…Timmy says…he likes ‘Batman” better…they laugh…Ben says “I’d like to see those two battle…that would be awesome”….on the sidewalk are 4 girls “jumping rope and signing a song”….the boys are not interested in girls..yet..but, want to try jumping…Stevie’s timing is a little off since he doesn’t do this every day…the kids laugh while socializing like only kids can do….Timmy tries his hand at jumping…
not bad, not bad at all one of the girls says…
Ok, ok, says Stevie…enough of this girls stuff…we’ve got some riding to do…the boys jump on their bikes and quickly spin out with their handle bar streaming gleaming in the wind…
CHAPTER FIVE
Riding down the street Timmy notices Mr. Gleason, (the local custodian and safety leader) sweeping around the always funny looking entrance to the “bomb shelter”…these were built during the 1950’s and 1960’s…in case foreign countries dropped “the big bomb” on us….the boys slid into the curb to say hello to Mr. Gleason…he invited the boys to go inside and look at the inner chamber….this was exciting for the boys…not really knowing the reality of it all…they sat on the bench and stared at the metal walls and enclosed lamp on the ceiling….
An exciting day for the boys…and a lesson….in those days…fear of foreign engagement was a reality.
Chapter Six
Time to head home it was almost dinner time…and they never missed a meal…or never were too far from home…when Mom and Dad wanted you to sit at the dinner table…like family should do…they knew that life was good…and family came first….Mom always had their favorites on the table…Timmy especially liked his Mom’s “Mac & cheese”…..and a slice of “meatloaf”…that was the best…after dinner the boys were allowed to watch an hour or so of television…of course Dad controlled the TV…so it was either the “Ed Sullivan show”
or “Carol Burnett” …
take your pick….
Those innocent times are long gone…and the family unit is a past encounter…but…memories are important…and we will always have those…goodnight Timmy, Ben and Stevie…wherever you are.
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