[sinclairfan]

Dear TABSK:  My name is Emily, and I'm a 58-year old semi-retired (thank you, pandemic lockdown) saleswoman from New Jersey in the restaurant industry, and I discovered you about 20 years ago, when I had a lot of time at home while raising my youngest daughter.  That daughter is now in college, and along with some of her classmates, spent time with some of my girlfriends in me at an Airbnb in Delaware.  Due to the the summer's excruciatingly hot temperatures, we spent a lot of time in the swimming pool.

TASBK, I long ago swore to myself that I wouldn't become one of those 'Things were better in my day...' bitter enders.  But, .... is it just me, or are today's generation of young women TERRIBLE chicken-fighters.  They can't stay on the shoulders, not matter how broad, of the woman underneath them.  And they couldn't un-balance their opponent if their life depended on it.  What IS IT with them, that generation, TABSK?  And am I right to be worried about what it means for the future of womanhood?

Dear Emily--Ok, Boomer.

Just kidding.

Disagree, and Agree.  We'll take these up in order.

Here's one GOOD thing you're overlooking.  Whole you are correct that, relatively speaking, our grneration were veritable Rocky Balboa's of chicken-fighting (and still have the scars to show it) we were using chicken-fighting as a substitute for ACTUAL competition--athletic and combat-oriented.  The travel sport opportunities were much more limited, and out-of-the-pool catfighting was less accepted (and acceptABLE).  So, we had more pent-up desire for f-on-f battle, and it showed in the summer swimming pool and watering hole.

But have those opportunities made the next generation softer?  Do they roll around between the sheets less than their Boomer/GenX predecessors.  Don't forget:  Chickenfighting started as MFvMF, not FFvFF.  It was as much a chance to ride a boy's shoulders as it was the smack another girl in the mouth.  I think you'll agree we were more adept at your daughter's age at riding a boy than her peers are.

So..... heck, yes, tell your daughter and her friends to get their skills up in the pool.  But out of the pool:  don't worry, they can throw down as well as you can.

[caryn1]

chicken fights were a lot of fun  back in the day 

[sinclairfan]

Dear TABSK--Doris here, a lifelong follower, which would mean for nearly 62 years, and I wanted to amplify, especially for your younger readers, some Fight Facts about Boomers and Xers which your answer to Emily touched upon.

First:  yes, today's generation are painfully clumsy chicken-fighters.  Back in the day, when two couples squared off for a brawl, be it MFvMF or FFvFF, it was break-out-the-popcorn tume for the spectators, who were in for a treat.  Today?  Pfffft.  Not so much.

But why?  Well, let me take you for a stroll down catfight Memory Lane for those of us who grew up, especially, in the 1970s suburbs.

Now girls of that generation fought.  But just the "Bad Girls".  Those girls also:
> smoked [cigarettes, not vaping], often in a designated area in the school courtyard

> got 'shit-faced' drunk on weekends

> with dometic beers like Bud of Schlitz, not lite beers or microbrews or flavored hard ciders

> got pregnant, and went to live with a grandparent or aunt 3 towns over once they were showing

> and then re-enrolled in high school, sometimes bringing their infant to the school's Day Care

> dated guys who owned motorcycles, as well as cars that were in the shop getting repaired

> had older siblings who were already divorced--''divorce' was such an exotic term that it was racy

> didn't have feathered haircuts, or painted nails, but...

> ....did wear makeup and smelled good

> should have tried out for sports, because they kicked as at coed softball and touch football, but assumed they were academically ineligible, which...

> ....was often an incorrect assumption, because the got A's in Civics and U.S.Government class due to their robust participation during class discussions on Abortion, Euthanasia, and Capital Punishment.

> Their superpower AND their kryptonite was the insult 'slut'.  They would dish it out witheringly to put down a rival girl; but would slink into a corner when on the receiving end of the insult.

> They didn't carry purses.

> To the extent they had aspirations in Academia, it was the secretarial school (which was a much more lucrative career than today.)

THOSE girls could .... and did .... catfight each other.  And got dententions, suspensions, and expulsions for their pains.

The rest of us?  Fighting was scandalous .... and a one-way ticket to sisterhood with the Bad Girls.

So we learned how to chicken-fight.  That was our outlet.

Today's generation?  It's totally accepted to catfight.  Heck, your friends film it, and you then share it on your social media.  That's progress, I suppose--but it comes at a cost.

Anyways, thanks for the opportunity the reminisce about Summers Past.    Doris


Dear Doris--you didn't mention your profession.  Is it Sociology?  If not, it should have been.  TABSK

[sinclairfan]

Dear TABSK--Kelsey here.  A lady doesn't give her age, I was always taught, but let's just say I'm the same generation as all the nostalgic women on this spread so far.  Including Doris.  I'll start by seconding your endorsement of her sociology skills.  And I'll also say, I was one of those girls she describes who was on the economic-wrong-side-of-the-catfight-tracks growing up in the 1970s.  It sucked being one of those girls, and wanna know one other thing that sucked about it?  Which was pool-related?

We didn't have swimming pools ourselves (except for mini inflatables--and you can't very well chicken-fight in those, right?).  So, when by some miracle, we'd be invited to a house party which DID have a pool, well, Whoa Nellie, that was THE event of our year, and, sadly (pathetically, really) one of THE events of our entire teen-hood.

The logistics alone were overwhelming.  What swimsuit to wear?  One-piece or two-piece?  If I wear two-, will they think I'm a slut?  If I wear one-, will they think I don't like my body?  Are there boys there?  Do we bring our own towel?  What bad to put all my stuff in? 

Do I need to shave 'down there' the night before?  The morning before?

Will I get challenged to a chicken fight?

Will the parents supervising allow us to chicken fight?

The in-pool time was inevitably shorter than we all planned on.  At least up north, where I grew up, the day was too cold.  Or too short.  Or a storm was on the way.  Or it was tume to eat soon.  Or we had to leave time to dry off and change back into our street clothes.

So at the next sleepover, we'd TALK about the pool time for way longer than we were actually in the pool.

And talk about who we wished we had chicken-fought.

Which is why I'm writing:  at least for me, hearing that another girl wished we had chicken-fought me was right up there with hearing a boy was going to ask you to dance at Homecoming.  It was a memory to hold onto thru the bad times.  I needed to write in and tell that to you and Doris.  Thank you for the topic.  Kelsey

Dear Kelsey--That was authentic and sweet.  And for the record--WE wish we had chicken-fought you at a 1970s pool party.  TABSK

[sinclairfan]

Dear TABSK--Emily here, again, the OP of this thread.  I'm 59 ..... gulp ... one year short of 60 now.  My last 50-something summer coming up.  Gonna make the most of it.  I thought of this topic this morning as my  neighbors and I prepared to clean off the winter debris on our pool deck.  My daughter will be joining us in a few weeks--rent is way too expensive for her to summer at college.  Instead, she and her roomies will be sub-letting their apartment TO some election organizers getting ready for Fall 2024--what lovely fun that sounds like it's going to be come November.  Another reason I hope to make the most of this summer.
TABSK, you'll be interested to hear, I believe, that my girlfriends and I aren't just whining about our daughters' generation decline in chicken-fihgting skills.  We're actually doing something about it.  It occurred to us that maybe OUR generation was so good at it because certain skills and knowledge were passed down from the generation before us.  Women now in their 70s and above.  We just never passed down those same skills to the next generation.  Now, we're not foolish enough to believe we can show-by-doing to them--that ship has sailed (although don't any bitches be getting any ideas to get out there and test us). 
But ..... we've lined up some 30-something trainers to show them the ropes, how to handle business etc.
No guarantees ..... but we'll see what happens.  Wish us luck.  Emily

Dear Emily--Good to hear you going strong at 59.  And .... Ya know..... no reason for the mentors to confine their training to inside the pool.  If you know what we mean. 
Just sayin'.  TABSK

[sinclairfan]

Dear TABSK--Emily, here, the (I still can't believe it) 59-year old chicken fight mentor.  It's bittersweet for me to note that with July 4th now in the rear view mirror, at least here in the Northeast.  It's already 2 weeks since the longest daily of the year on June 21st, and the sun's rise in the morning has already swung further to the north.  Sigh.

TABSK, as if that's not bad enough....our backyard pool chicken fight summer has been largely a washout.  Rain.  Hail.  Lighting.  Power outages.  Locusts (cicadas they're called, I'm told).  Quite biblical.

So.... while we've hosted a couple of epic chicken fights between our college coed guests/mentees, most of our combat has been squeezed indoors.

And .... there's been some moments.  Some fisticuffs with boxing gloves and MMA mitts (where did these come from?  <blushing> I dunno .... but sure knew they'd come in handy someday .... hehe).  TABSK, I gotta tell ya .... these Gen Z girls know where to hit to draw blood.  Brings me back to my 1980s 'first blood!'' days.  And, the girl who's bleeding?  She keeps right on going.  Even if we 'responsible mentors' want to at least call a time out.

So .... not what we had planned .... but not a Lost Summer either.  With 6 weeks still to go.

I'll keep uou updated.  Emily.

Dear Emily--Fun update!  Glad those boxing gloves you had stashed in your bedroom closet .... or wherever ..... are getting some use!  When do we break out the brass knucks? TABSK

[Dude64]

Your writing and your stories are boring! I want to have Kim kick your ass

[sinclairfan]

Dear TABSK--Emily, here....I'm thinking for the last time, seeing as summer is ending.  Summer ends in stages, right?  First your girls go back to college.  Then it's Labor Day weekend.  And finally is the autumnal equinox--12 hours of sunlight, 12 of darkness.  And up north, you need to drain and winterize your pool, which we spent yesterday doing.  In my previous letter, I underestimated how many good pool days we had left--here in the Midwest in September 2024, we had a 3-week heat wave of 90-degree days.  Thank goodness we left the pool open.  The college girls couldn't join us--they were back in school resuming their studies.  But the women in our neighborhood, and chicken-fighting revival group, were able to get some quality Indian Summer sun time and pool time.

And fight time.  All that estrogen .... and the memories of the aggressive chick boxing we had witnessed all that summer .... got us feisty and frisky.  We started pairing off, first in our minds, then in the pool.  And having catfights .... MILF fights ....in the pool.

My fight partner was a woman named Marsha ...  about my age and size.  We had been getting on each others' nerves for years.  We had it out with each other .... 20 minutes or so at a time .... for 3 or 4 days.  Just grabbing and hitting and grappling in the pool.  Giving as good as we got.  Neither of us ever really securing a decisive submission.

Which was just as well.  Maybe she and I will pair off someday outside the pool.  Time will tell.

As for the summer .... it's a wrap.  Emily

Dear Emily--Thank you for the closure.  And, in your next update, looking forward to "Emily vs Marsha:  Round 5, The Street Fight."  TABSK