On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

The summer of 2011 is officially in the books. It was a busy summer in Somerville. Many city run activities kept the kids occupied. Older teens got jobs through the Mayor’s summer Jobs program. There were camps, concerts, and festivals. SomerStreets closed down stretches of busy roadways so we could enjoy entertainment and purchase food and crafts from local merchants. We saw a rise in bicycle riding throughout the city. We also got to enjoy The Sunsetters at various locations throughout the city. The Boston Bruins gave us a thrilling start to summer when they clinched the Stanley Cup on June 15. The Senior Picnic was a smash as usual with perfect weather.

I had a motto for myself this summer and it was to “squeeze every single drop out of summer.” And I think I succeeded. We had tornadoes, earthquakes and hurricanes. One day, it was June and the next thing ya know…September. I always relive my phobia regarding September because I hated school. Thankfully, school has changed a lot and most kids look forward to seeing their friends again.

Although there was tons to do this summer for the kids of the city, it brought back memories of how we spent our summers in the “old days.” Days that would start by rounding up our group and deciding how we would spend the day. One particular day my friends dared me to stand in the old police traffic box that used to be in the center of Davis Square. Not only did I stand in it and pretend to direct traffic, my friend took a picture. I had it for years then it got swallowed up and lost. Our parents would feel safe when they sent us to the Somerville Theatre for an entire afternoon of Technicolor, tonic candy, and comedy.

We looked forward to the annual Track Meet held at Trum Field. We lined up for free Hoodsies on July 4th. They were handed out by the elected officials of the day like Lenny Scott and Sal Albano. Were the playgrounds like Lincoln Park really in full swing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.? Sure, and there was kickball, hopscotch, and don’t forget gimp. How many necklaces, bracelets, and key chains did we make from those strands of colorful plastic? Nothing says summers gone by in Somerville like gimp! A friend of mine went to the Recreation program at the Brown School. The fun started at nine, she went home for a quick lunch, and came back  for dodge ball and crafts (and more gimp!) from 1 to 4 p.m. At the end of the summer they enjoyed a trip to Paragon Park. It was an amusement park at Nantasket Beach. Now it’s condos (big surprise!).

My friend recalls that the fruit truck parked near her house on Somerville Avenue and the man gave away the bruised peaches free. That was followed by a short walk to Porter Square to Kresge’s department store. There you would pop a balloon to see how much you paid for a banana split. Woolworths used that practice also.

As soon as we woke up we would be out the door. Many times we would stay out until the streetlights came on. Today, the first things my kids do when they wake up is go on the computer or start texting their friends. Back then, the only way we could communicate with our friends was either by calling them on the phone, or “calling for them” by standing in front of their house and yelling “Hi Ho Charlie!!!”

YMCA day camp was a great way to spend some summer days. We visited Hoods Cherry Hill Farm, Drumlin Farm, and I believe we went to an amusement park too. I can still taste those baloney sandwiches my mother packed for me.

It seems a lot of folks scaled the fences at the Foss Park and Dilboy pools after hours. We Somerville bred kids became pretty good at jumping fences. A story for another time could be a handbook on how to become a true ‘Villen. It would have to include fence hopping, fishing for pollywogs, and how not to be intimated by rotary traffic.

You could be sure to find a game of “Red Rover” or “Relieve-E-O” being played on streets and backyards. Punch ball, jump rope, and hide-and-seek were played for hours. We also spent a lot of time just standing on the corner of Bay State and Kidder, (insert your corner) talking, joking, and singing.

One summer morning my dad took me to the Waldorf Restaurant, where Mike’s is now. I had just finished delivering my Sunday newspapers and Dad treated me to the most delicious pancake breakfast I have ever eaten. Great summer memories for sure.

All in all the summer of 2011 was a very jam-packed, fun filled, productive one. We were able to go camping almost every weekend and a couple of full weeks. My kids say they had a good summer and it would have been perfect if only it hadn’t gone by so fast. I would like to thank my Facebook friends for their input, and in closing let me say “Buck Buck, how many fingers do I have up ?” And even though we didn’t play one game of Buck Buck, it was still a very good summer.

Don’t miss the SomerStreets fun on Saturday, September 10, on Shore Drive. The band Stainless will play at 12:30 and the Sunsetters will perform around 2 p.m. There will be many other activities also. The fun goes from12 to 4 near the boathouse.