DEL MAR — Obesity is the big buzz these days. That brings up the question — how come kids were not obese years ago? They were either fat or skinny because the word obese was not yet coined. Since there were no video games on the tube and more correctly no TV, the alternative was to do something outdoors. Well, you could listen to “As the World Turns” or “ Days of Our Lives” on the radio if your family could afford to have a radio. But like the present, if you heard one sad situation you heard them all because they were the same ole, same ole as they are today. So girls could jump or skip rope or compete in hop scotch. Both required a lot of exercise. Or they could play jacks. During recess on school days the boys played softball and kick ball. Or they shot marbles or took turns on the monkey bars. On weekends they rode their bikes to La Jolla or Encinitas to go to the movies.
If you called someone a lardo or fatso you weren’t being a bully and threatened with having to stay after school as punishment. However, you might get punched in the kisser by the kid you accused of being obese.
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