In 1958 I was seven years old.
I wonder who I was aiming for.. more than likely I had a bead on my baby brother. Then I probably pulled back the hammer and click.. hollering “Bang Bang your dead fifty bullets in your head.” He would be clicking his gun madly hollering the same thing at the top of his lungs, he would have been four years old and an easy target. I am sure it must have driven our Mother partly crazy.
Anyone else out there play with toy guns..?? I did because my brother liked guns. As you can tell from the photo I had a holster and everything. And look at that stance…
This photo was most likely taken by my Mom. It was taken in the kitchen at the farm in the old farmhouse. I am standing in the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. Note the wild linoleum on the kitchen floor and the chalkboard that is attached to the door that went upstairs. We never used the upstairs ..well hardly ever..My Grandpa and one of my Uncles stayed up there during harvest one year. We were not allowed to play up there.
My memories of the upstairs include flies buzzing between the screens and the windows. Old pull down shades, some raggedy looking curtains and a different linoleum in every room. The stairs were painted as was the bannister..blue or green..I think. It was a long time ago:)
Hi,
ReplyDeleteI think we could/should have been friends - although I'm a couple of years older than you. So you would have known how your brother would have felt in these battles!
This post of mine has a photo of me with my gun - not an action shot like yours, but I think it shows our similarities.
ttp://alwaysbackroads.wordpress.com/2011/06/23/ten-random-things-about-me
Thanks for the fun post.
Donna
No, I never played with guns, even as a youngster. But then again, I didn't have a brother until I was sixteen. It was dolls all the way from as young as I can remember. You sure do look cool, Connie! Straight arm, with a bead on your target so you couldn't miss. :-)
ReplyDeleteI did. I had an Annie Oakley gun set, cowgirl hat and vest. Always played cowboy and indians with my brother and sister. Brings back memories.
ReplyDeleteLove your stance in the photo! When I was about 5, the neighbor boy threw his metal toy gun at me and split my head open!!! His mom was folding clothes and used them to clean me up!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah we played with toy guns - same here though, not until baby brother aquired them (interesting). Love love love the photo of you though.
ReplyDeleteYep, and my daddy kept me supplied in plenty of caps. I was an only child for almost nine years but let me tell ya, I shot up many of ornery dirty rotten scoundrels in my day!!!
ReplyDeleteDaddy bought me the boots, cowboy hats, guns, holsters and all the caps I wanted. Mama dressed me like a laced princess. Know wonder I'm the way I am now....heeehehehehe!!!
God bless you day sweetie!!! :o)
I wasn't allowed to have a toy gun (I wonder if my brother did?). I'm sure it's because my mom thought it was too violent. She also didn't let us get Barbie dolls because they were "too grown up". I must have worn her down as the third daughter because she finally let me have a Barbie doll. But by then, I was too old to play with her.
ReplyDeleteMy daughter had toy guns, Barbie dolls, even a bb gun. She turned out just fine!
OMG! We ARE sisters separated at birth! I used to have pictures of me when I was young under 5 even dressed in cowboy clothes with the hat and guns and holster and all. No dolls for me...I wanted to be a cowgirl...still do! LOL! We almost look a like too but your hair is a bit blonder than mine was. I don't have the pictures anymore. My step-father got rid of them all when my Mother died.
ReplyDeleteMy siblings were older and out on their own by the time I was 6 But when my brother was there he would play games with me. I did a lot of chores and playing about on our farm fixing things spending time with my horse and the animals helping my mum and dad I was a loner back then as a kid ! But I wouldnt of changed a thing ! Great post and photo !
ReplyDeleteOh love that photo, no guns for me though, not that I can remember anyway. Carpentry tools maybe though:)
ReplyDeleteYou missed your calling in law enforcement or the FBI maybe!
I played with guns, had a holster, etc. even though I didn't have an older brother. Sometimes the play time involved a boy across the street and the abandoned barn next door. I loved being out and playing. Now I look back on this and really wonder, What were our parents thinking when they bought us these guns? I attribute it to Roy Rodgers, who was the guy in the white hat in the TV shows. It was A-OK to shoot people if you were the good guy or the sheriff. When I was an adult, I saw a very early Roy Rodgers movie and I was appalled. Violence was the way to solve problems, even for good-Roy. And there were no qualms about shooting the guys in the black hats. I'm not exaggerating; it was all very simplistic, and these shows and movies were aimed at children!
ReplyDeleteWe were not allowed to play with guns, just the boys were...sigh so sexist.
ReplyDeleteAnd to think that my Dad was a hunter, well that's probably why. You were so cute, look out Annie Oakly.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I have 5 brothers. I played with guns, too. :o)
ReplyDeleteGreat post!
I thank today it is not politically correct to play with guns. So poor kids have no cowboy heroes are any for that matter. I sure miss our childhood when men were real men with white hats and black hats.Sorry didn't mean to be so depressive.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cutie you were (are)! I played with my brother, but I never got a pellet gun of my own, not that I really wanted one.
ReplyDeleteLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
What's the saying, "A picture is worth a 1000 words?. Not too many activity pictures were taken in 1958. Most pictures were posed.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I guess I'm going to be the lone odd-man-out! Around our NYC suburb home, we played with our own "homemade" bows and arrows, because "Injuns" were 'way cooler! I guess that's New York City thinking for ya...
ReplyDeleteI still play with guns!!
ReplyDeleteFanner fifty cap guns. You were a nobody in my neighborhood without one. I got my first pony in 1958 and I was 7 also.
ReplyDeleteNow that's a wonderful photo! Love your pose! I remember getting a cowboy outfit and playing cowboys with my two sisters and brother too.
ReplyDelete