I stopped at an old general store today when traveling a two lane country road

As I walked around the narrow cluttered aisles memories of my childhood began to grow

There on the shelves in open crates were toys and candy that were left in time

Memories that we all cherished back in our childhood made my old eyes shine

There was a bin of marbles for you to pick through and choose your favorite ones

And there on another shelf was a paddle ball that we used to play with for hours for fun

Jaw breakers and wax bottles filled with flavored syrup we would suck out for a sugar rush

And there in the ice filled barrel on the table were RC Cola and an Orange Crush

Today kids will never experience the joy these simple things brought to kids back in our day

The fun we had shooting marbles or hitting the ball with that paddle is how we used to play

I remember riding my bike with a sock of marbles hanging on my blue jean belt

And playing marbles on the school playground with friends, Oh the joy we felt

Today those dangerous marbles and jaw breakers, kids are not allowed to touch

Afraid that they will choke on the jaw breakers and marbles, and sugar they can’t have that much

Mothers of our time didn’t worry about kids running wild on sugar or choking on candy or a toy you see

They would just say, when you choke on that or break your neck running wild, DON’T COME CRYING TO ME

From My World to Yours,
Bob Baker