Protect language, beliefs of baby boomers

The culture and beliefs held during the childhood of baby boomers must be saved.

As a parent of two adult children, I've known for decades that many phrases and common cultural beliefs from my childhood were lost. Some are culturally insensitive, so farewell. Others are just gone.

I'm a (fake) historian and in the interest of preserving my culture, I hereby present a series of phrases and beliefs that were universally understood by children in my (semi-rural, largely white) youth, but create a blank stare from someone born in the 21st century.

Consider this a document to help people understand what my people once believed.

In alphabetical order:

Carrots. Help your eyesight. Everyone knew this, which is why it was funny if someone with glasses ate carrots.

Citizen's arrest. We all knew that you could do this if you saw someone doing something illegal. There's no evidence that it ever happened.

Crossing fingers. If you had your fingers crossed, a promise didn't count. There was some debate about whether having two sets of fingers crossed meant the promise stood.

Eenie, meenie, miney, moe. This is how you started the selection of who is "it" in any version of "tag" or while picking teams for anything. It eliminated one person at a time, so it took awhile, but we all understood it.

Eureka! It was my hometown, but more importantly, it was what you shouted when you found something. Because it means "I found it!" in French, apparently.

Farewell, cruel world. This was what people yelled before committing suicide by jumping off a building or cliff. Always.

For he's a jolly good fellow. This is what you sang when someone does something well. Often paired with three cheers: Hip hip hooray!

Geronimo! What you yelled while jumping out of an airplane, presumably with a parachute. However, you could yell it if you were vaulting from a tree or window.

Hiccups. This is what "drunks" did. They slurred their words, they hiccuped and we laughed, because it's funny to be drunk.

Hi-ho Silver! This was what the Lone Ranger (before our time) yelled, but everyone knew that's what you shouted when you got on a horse. Research reveals that it was really "Hi-yo Silver!" so I apologize to all my pretend horses.

Hunger strike. The most effective nonviolent way to get something done. Worth threatening, but no one I knew ever tried it.

Piranhas. The flesh-eating fish were present in every stream and river. Or at least you could yell that and scare your friends.

Popcorn. The seven digits (767-2676) that you dialed on your phone (yes, dialed) to find the exact time. You called "popcorn."

Quicksand. Nature's most dangerous substance was apparently widespread during cowboy days. Here's what we knew: It was dangerous and if you struggled, that only made it worse.

Rattlesnakes. The living companion to quicksand. They were present everywhere and often are encountered by the same people who dealt with quicksand.

You dirty rat. What gangsters say, it was also the standard impersonation of film legend Edward G. Robinson.

There are more – email me or leave comments of your favorites – which I'll address in a future column (he wrote, with two sets of crossed fingers).

Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.