I was just mulling over my early years yesterday, when it occurred to me that some things just aren’t around anymore.

Here are some examples;

When I was a kid I believed that rabies was rampant. If my memory serves me correctly I’m sure that there was even an ad on TV about it. Back then, if a stray dog even looked at me funny I would all run away screaming, fearing I had caught the dreaded rabies. Funnily enough, I never actually heard of even one person getting it, EVER! Does it still exist or have they found a cure for it, because I haven’t heard it mentioned since the eighties.

Hives, what ever happened to hives? I used to spend about two weeks every year covered in bread soda. I have memories of my mother shouting at me to stop my constant scratching. But I never could because they used to itch like fuck! But these days you never even hear of them. The sales of bread soda probably plummeted after the eighties. Although looking back now, I wonder if hives really existed, maybe we were all just infected with scabies but our parents were to embarassed to admit it.

What ever happened to games like Curbs, Queenie-I-O, Pinch the parrot and Slam? I don’t see kids playing them anymore.

Whatever happened to the Rent Man? Does he still exist? Once a week in our council estate the Rent Man would come calling. On weeks when money was scarce we’d have go to the door and tell him that our Mam wasn’t home or we would all have to stay quiet until he had gone.

What ever happened to The Isle of Man? This once exotic location seems to have fallen off the face of the earth. It was the place to go a few years back. When most of us were being squashed into a caravan with three other families in wind swept locations such as Tramore or Salthill, the Isle of Man was for the elite and well off.

What ever happened to budgies? Everyone used to have budgies when I was growing up. Why? They must have been the poor man’s exotic pet! Also terrapins and pigeons, where have they disappeared to?

The list is probably endless. There are so many things that are just not around anymore so it’s always nice to see something old make a come back. And today I was pleasantly surprised. If you were asked what shampoo you used years ago I bet you would say Timotei (or maybe not). Everyone used Timotei, I don’t know why, but it was probably cheap (like the inevitable Penguin bar that crept into your lunch box on every one of your school going days). But you can rest easy because it is back so thankfully after numerous years I can finally wash my hair! Phew!