They only exist in the memories of the fortunate few survivors of the long removed sawmill towns called Bates and Izee, Oregon.
I Am , by "The Grace Of God" such a survivor, for the time being.
TV (short for Television) was cabled in from a company owned tower on a nearby mountain top. Only one channel, CBS network affiliate KBOI TV in Boise, Idaho, was the only broadcaster that had the power to reach the eager eyes of loggers, sawmill workers, and their rambunctious kids.
While the men were yet workin', the wives cleanin' house or fixin' diner, their otherwise active, skinny kids were layin' on the floors at 3:00 P.M. awaiting "Heck Harper and The O.K. Corell"
Some lucky city kids, in Boise, would be on TV, at the broadcast studio, with Heck himself, and be able to show their smilin' faces to all of the world, and even tell their names. Yeah, they would be stars, just like the "Queen For A Day" crybabies that their mothers had watched while their normally noisy kids had been in school. O.K., so the kids didn't win no wash machines, but we knew that they were all winners.
Those Boise kids, they'd had "The Limelight", their "Day In The Sun", and "Boy were we ever jealous, or what? We all wanted to be "BIG TV STARS" too, but "No Such Luck". Us Sawmill kids were just lucky if we had TV.
So, like "The Starving Kids In China", we waited. Only one "Sugar Pops" and maybe a healthy "CoCo Puffs" or "Sugar Jets" commercial, and then the "Autry-Roger's Ranch" segment of "The Heck Harper Show" would capture our "Wide Open" minds.
Like "Toddlers In Toy land" we would be taught morals. Our values to be formed by "Real Singing Cowboys" whose lives and clean music reflected the "Hero" splendor, the boots and spurs that we longed for.
The poor kids today are stuck with "Tennis Shoe Sports Stars and "Waco Rappers" whose music reflect the harsh reality of "The Ghettos From Whence They Came". Michael Jorden is "An Aging Earth Angel", heaven sent, yet I doubt that many of the others are. "Hero's" should be "Good" at something more than just "Hoops". Money is "Poor Perfume" for those who "Are Perishing". Kids "Kill" for the tennis shoes and "Beat Each Other Up" for warm up jackets.
TV has changed, along with us "SawMill Kids", as we aged.
I remember my 1st great disappointment on tevevision. Ed Sullivan said that he would "Be right back with Micky Mantal". When, after the Areowax comericial, Ed came back on, he asked who was Micky's favorite baseball player. I was expecting his guest to be Micky Mouse.
Ed Sullivan was good at disappointing Young Kids. He always said, "I've got a Really Big SHOE for you tonight!" But he never showed his feet! I thought that maybe he had removed his shoes and socks and was responsible for the "Bigfoot" prints that were being reported all over the planet.
Ed redeemed himself when I was in high school. To the frustration of my high school administrators, Ed brought "The Beatles" to our world. My old teachers had not yet recovered from Elvis bringin' the shakin' legs to the teenage TV world. But, at least, Elvis comed his hair back! The BEATLES didn't! We were told, "If your hair is over your collar, or down on you boy's foreheads, you will be expelled!"
How TV and Times Change?
God and his televangelists still rule the airwaves, reaching those with "Ears To Hear."
"The Earth Is The Lord's And The Fullness Thereof."
LuV Ya :)
Rascal Russ :))
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