I’m talking about hide and seek in the park. 

The corner milk bar, hopscotch, Billy carts, cricket in front of the garbage bin, skipping, handstands, footy on the best lawn in the street, British bulldog 1-2-3, go home stay home, slip ‘n’ slide, the trampoline with water on it, hula hoops, pogo sticks, stepping in enormous puddles, mud pies and building dams in the gutter. 

The smell of the sun and fresh cut grass.

Big Bubbles no troubles’ with Hubba Bubba bubble gum. 

Hearing the Mr Whippy van playing Greensleeves from several streets away and waiting anxiously for him to turn into your street. 

When 20 cents worth of mixed lollies was a meal and smoking fags was really cool.

Or buying 20 cents worth of hot chips wrapped in newspaper and eating them on the way home.

Watching Saturday morning cartoons – Thunderbirds (if you got up really early), the Smurfs, AstroBoy, He-Man, Captain Caveman, Archie, The Herculoids, Cool McCool, Gigantor, Jem and Fat Albert. 

Remember the theme songs?

Or staying up late and sneaking a look at the “AO” on the second telly.

When around the corner seemed far away and going into town seemed like going somewhere. 

A million mozzie bites, wasp and bee stings. 

Playing cops and robbers, cowboys and indians, riding bikes and catching tadpoles.

Playing Marco polo in the neighbours’ pool, drawing all over the road with chalk. 

Playing tennis and footy on the street and having to stop while the occasional car went past.

Climbing trees and building cubbies out of every sheet your mum had in the cupboard. 

Walking to school, no matter what the weather.

Being tired from playing, remember that? 

The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team. 

Water balloons were the ultimate weapon.

Cricket cards in the spokes transformed any bike into a motorcycle. eating raw jelly, making homemade lemonade and sucking on a Funny Face or red Freeza. 

There were only two types of sneakers - girls and boys.

Dunlop volleys with the green ‘n’ gold or blue and the only time you wore them at school was for “sports day”. 

You knew everyone in your street - and so did you parents.

When nobody owned a pure-bred dog. 

When 50c was decent pocket money.

When you’d reach into a muddy gutter for 5c. 

When nearly everyone’s mum was at home when the kids got there from school. 

It was magic when dad would “remove” his thumb. 

When it was considered a great privilege to be taken out to dinner at the local Chinese restaurant with your parents.

When any parent could discipline any kid, or feed her or use him to carry groceries and nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it. 

When being sent to the principal’s office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited a misbehaving student at home.