The Electronic Small Town

“Over the river and through the woods to grandfather’s house we go.”

Yes, despite the fact that most people substitute grandmother for the elder of the original poem, there’s still a bucolic setting to the image of our ancestors, whether it’s a return to the parents or grandparents’ abode.

Look at the television ads and the number of times the person returning from the army, buying a new truck or coming home for the holidays ends up at a farm. Considering that 2 percent of the American population lives on a farm, it’s a less and less likely scenario with each passing year.

For many baby boomers, the image holds. Their parents or grandparents were often farmers. But for the generations that follows, this image is more and more a “Founding Myth,” representing cherished values than a vision of modern American life.

It’s more likely “Over the turnpike and through the toll booth, to grandfather’s retirement condo we go.”

Will succeeding generations adopt suburbia as their myth? Will there be nostalgic pictures of grandma and granddad in their Cape Cod? Instead of pictures of dad hard at work in the barn yard, will we see him on his riding mower? To some extent, we do see him hard at work over the backyard grill.

And grandma, instead of lovingly delivering that home-cooked meal, calls out “There’s some frozen dinners in the freezer. Careful, the microwave door is tricky,” as she heads off to the senior citizen center.”?