Vacations: The next generation
Jack Atkinson

By 1970 I was married and there were no more "family" vacations. I established my own family and before the kids came, there were a few vacations. The slogan printed on a chunk of wood and hung in my house, reads as follows: "A vacation consists of 2 weeks which are 2 short, after which you are 2 tired 2 return and 2 broke not 2." Whether the vacation was in the 1950's or 1990's the slogan applies.

Every summer during the 1970's we went to Colonial Williamsburg. It got to be that we could give the little historical talks as well as the guides. But one attraction was the Pottery Factory, a large facility with an inventory of cheap items. We brought back hurricane shades by the case and other nonessential items.

Before the children we made a trip to Pennsylvania to visit a close friend from Peace Corps days. It was his wedding and we drove a 1967 Cutlass. We did not know the car was on its last leg. After the first transmission went, I thought our problems were over until it went as well. Two transmissions, a water pump and a dead air conditioner made me want to junk the thing as soon as we crossed the Georgia line.

If there were not car problems, there were children problems. I well remember the year that I spanked my son before we left home. I knew I did not want to drive 12 hours with him cranky. It was his first and only spanking. I got the cold shoulder and threats of being taken to DFACTS. Our attitudes did improve by the time we made it to our destination. There was a memorable early morning trek to Monticello with this son, just the two of us in Jefferson's home. We went to Lee's family home and then to Mt. Vernon. He had had enough of historic homes by the time we made it home.

Can any family escape Disney World? Leaving from our base at Jekyll Island, we took both boys to the world of Mickey Mouse and to Morocco and various other "countries". We saw each "world" and we rode each ride. The roller coaster was not for one of the boys and of course we did not push it.

For this generation the vacations were simplified by using Jekyll Island as a constant place. My in-laws came each year and we spent a week at the beach together. Each boy wanted his own friends to come along. Porter always had one friend and John Martin usually brought two or more. For creative learning the walls would be covered with butcher paper and we would write out such things as "name 5 things you wish to learn to do". There was a lot of video taping, dogs running on the beach, trips to the Water Park and golf courses.

Vacations with dad became something special. When Porter graduated from high school he went with me on a trip to Russia. He was missing his girlfriend but the trip helped him recover from a lost love. John Martin got to go to San Francisco and to the Napa Valley. He did not get to taste the wine but he did get a t-shirts from a dozen wineries.

These vacations were a far cry from a trip to Tybee. But now I can not wait to see what this next generation will come up with. I already hear talk of flying to here or there and joining cruises. Have you heard the old term "earning a paid vacation"? That would be nice. Dream on.--Jack Atkinson is a guest columnist and a resident of Garfield.

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