Cold Winter:

Living in the city of Chicago in the nine-teen forties and fifties was quite different than living there today. First of all there were a lot fewer cars on the street then. Many households, if they had a car, they usually only had one car. And the car was used for transportation to and from work for the whole family. Every person in the home shared the car. My brother Rich and my sister Theresa and I shared our car. During the week Most streets had only a few cars parked there so the children always played in the street during the day, and most of the time in the evenings also. Today, there isn't a parking spot available during the day or evening. We played softball at the corner, and used the sewer covers for bases.

In winter, after a snow, only the main streets were plowed. The side streets and alleys were the citizens responsibility. Today, first the main streets are plowed, then the side streets are plowed and sometimes the alleys are plowed by the city

Almost all the kids liked winter. They built snowmen after a snowfall. They built snow forts, and had snowball fights with their friends. Some made igloos others ice skated when the weather was below freezing. Sleds were pulled, and kids ran and belly flopped on their sleds, sliding in the street or sidewalk.

Now that I mention sledding and sliding, teens had their own way of sledding. I mentioned that the side streets were not plowed back then. Well, our sport was called "skitching". When the side streets were very slippery, and a car was driving slowly past a person, you would run behind the car, grab hold of the bumper, without the driver seeing you, bend your knees and almost sit. Then slide a couple blocks behind the car. We didn't think it was really dangerous, but if the driver saw us sometimes they stopped and chased us or other times they would step on the gas and try to shake us off. If they did that we had to be very careful we didn't slide under the car. I guess it was dangerous, but we didn't think so.

So winter years ago was a lot of fun, and I'm sure it is still a lot of fun for some people. But as I drive through the city and suburbs I don't see as many kids outside playing, skating, sliding, sledding, throwing snowballs or just plain walking in the snow. But, I'm sure glad I don't see anybody "skitching".