I was bon in 69, and was 8 in 76' when it was the countrys Bicentenial, best year of my life, I swear the entire year was full of fireworks, and the smell of gunpowder was everywhere from all the kids buying fireworks from the icecream man. That summer I woke up at 8, was out the door by 9, and me and my friends would play football/baseball, and sometimes even go swimming before the sun went down, and after that we would all crash at one anothers house, as long as mom and dad could call and find us, all was good, I remember many mornings when my dad would get up at 6am to go to work, and find me and 7 or 8 of my friends crashed out in the living room (we were first to have cable on the block) all was good.
Now although my door is open to all my kids friends, its nothing like it was, and I'm sorry to say will never be again, blame it on technology, blame it on sicko's who need to have their dick's cut off, any way you slice it, it is a shame.
Oh and Hal, my dad was a heavy smoker, but I never tried them either, now you know someone else.