This is a picture of my dad in 8th grade. As you can see, he's sporting some pretty fine grey and white glasses there. Amazingly that was a step up from his previous set. When he was in 6th grade, his dad took him to get glasses. Back then the style was to get dark-rimmed glasses, black glasses, but what did my grandpa get him? Pink, turtleshell glasses. Yes, his 12 yr old son had to wear pink glasses. Now, apparently this was not uncommon for him. Gramps bought my dad several PINK things. When dad wanted a radio for his birthday, gramps went to the local store where his friend Mr. Feldman worked and asked him if he had any radios that were cheap, because they were pretty poor growing up. Well, he just so happened to have a nice pink radio in the store that no one wanted, so guess what dad got for his birthday that year? A pink radio. He even got a pink record player. Pretty hot stuff!! But, to have to wear pink glasses to school, in front of his friends, was something he wasn't thrilled about. The reasoning behind the pink glasses was because his dad was afraid that the black rimmed glasses would interfer with his line of vision and distract him. So, if he was wearing a more flesh-colored pair, it would be a clear shot for him. Only my grandpa would think of something like that. :-) Thankfully at the end of his 7th grade year, he happened to find himself in line between Gerald Rucci and Don Pohlig when they got in an argument and someone threw a punch that hit dad right in the face, breaking his glasses. Now, he wasn't thrilled that he got punched in the face. It hurt and was completely embarrassing, but at least he was now rid of his pink glasses. So, gramps, ever the thinker, got him the grey and white pair, so once again, the frames wouldn't interfere with his line of vision. I'm guessing this is why he didn't date until he was 37. ;-) Just kidding dad. You were a hottie! Really. Not many guys can say outloud that they were once 4'6", pink-wearing, bronchial drop-drinking, 13 yr olds. Oh, and of course, friends with Clauken...... Can't forget Clauken.
Okay, I just have to comment on your father's recollection about the "pink" glasses. They weren't pink tortoise shell, they were clear rimmed with a pink tinge -- nothing swirling or anything fancy. Do you remember the glasses my father wore? Well, they were like that. And yes dad was afraid of the vision being impaired by the frames. My first pair WERE pink tortoise shell glasses, but I loved them. I think I posted a picture of me wearing them. Ugly picture, because all 14-year-olds are ugly, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteAnd are you sure about that being his 8th grade picture? I suppose it is, I can't imagine him wearing a suit for any other grade. I have six or seven of his school pictures, including that one. I'll have to see if there's anything written on them to give the dates. He looks too young for 8th grade in that picture.
And I don't remember a pink radio or pink record player. I'm going to call my sister and check this out. I think your dad has been into the bronchial drops again!
It's in the scrapbook under 8th grade. He's always told us he was tiny until his like junior year. He said he was only 4'8" until then. And, if you look at his 8th grade graduation picture, he looks exactly the same. Heck, it was probably the same suit.
ReplyDeleteHe did say that the rims were a bit flesh-colored, but since it had a pinkish tint to it, they was pink. Just a little pink for a boy makes it totally and completely pink. :-)
If you have any other high school pics, scan 'em in and send them. I have K-5th and then 8th and 9th and then none until his graduation picture. He said he thought he was so ugly, that he never saved the rest of his high school pics.