The Sounds of Summer Are Very Different Today

On Saturday, I took my kids out for our neighborhood walk. As we walked, we heard the normal “sounds of summer.” There were plenty of birds singing, dogs barking, and kids playing in the pool. On one stretch of sidewalk, I could hear loud laughter and muffled music playing from a radio. As we got closer, I could see that there were three teenage girls outside washing a pickup truck.

The site of this reminded me of the many summer weekends when we would help my dad wash his car. I remember spending a few Saturdays washing and waxing my own vehicle in the driveway during the summer. In both instances, the boombox was always outside with music playing. If it was Sunday, we’d be listening to American Top 40, or one of the many tapes that my dad had thrown together. Whatever the music, it was never anything that we’d be embarrassed about if someone passed the house. This, however, was not the case this weekend!

As I got close to the house where the vehicle was getting washed, the music became more and more clear. If what was playing was rap music, it didn’t sound like it. However, the words that were being “sung” were far from toddler material! In the approximate 30-60 seconds that it took me to pass this house, the profanity coming from the radio was crazy! I heard MF (and variations of that) at least 5 times, the N word about 6 times, and the F bomb probably 4 times. I am so glad that Ella never repeated any of it!!

Even if that was the kind of music that I listened to, I am sure that I wouldn’t have it blaring loudly outside. Ok, I know, I sound like the “get off my lawn” old man, but seriously! Was that necessary? I suppose it would be no different if there were listening to the radio edit of the song. They are still just as bad.

As I stated in the title of this blog … things are very different today.

Now get off my lawn!