Sam and I were discussing how badly we want to go on a little vacation. One of the possible destinations was Mackinac, MI. It is located at the tip of the mitten where the Mackinac Bridge connects the Upper Peninsula to the Lower Peninsula.
As a kid, my folks took my brother and I there one summer. It had to be around 1980 or so. I found a ridiculous photo from that trip. (It is dated 1981, but who know when the photos were taken?)
This had to be taken at one of the forts in Mackinac. My brother can be seen on the right side of the picture. I am the goofball in the denim cowboy hat. I think this was in one of the living quarters or something. Obviously it is a dining table with old bowls and silverware on it. I suppose my mom or dad thought this would be a great photo op.
Outside of the transition lenses on my glasses and cowboy hat, there is one thing that screams out at me. You may or may not be able to see it, but it was the first thing I noticed. Just to the left of the bowl in front of me pinned to my tank top is a sheriff badge. I loved that badge. It was the only souvenir that I wanted on the trip.
The Dukes of Hazzard was a huge show at the time. I loved Rosco P. Coltrane (James Best). We often rode around on our bikes in the neighborhood. Someone’s bike was the General Lee and I, as Rosco, would chase them around. Naturally, I’d often “crash” my bike as the Duke boys would get away.
The one thing I didn’t have was a badge. The badge was worn proudly every day when we were outside. I think the weld that held the pin to the badge eventually broke and I was devastated. I was able to find another badge at the toy store, but it was not the 6 sided star I got on that trip.
Various Ramblings of a Nostalgic Italian 