Teenage boys the world over jockey for position and get into mischief. It's the way of childhood. America doesn't have a corner on that market. And neither do boys... girls get into plenty of mischief too.

Anyhow..... I remember when the schools used to give us a day off AND a free ticket to the Tennessee State Fair. Our parents dropped us off at 9, gave us some pocket money, and picked us up at suppertime. Nowadays I don't reckon anyone would dream of leaving a 9-year-old unattended at the fair.

My brother, who is a very liberal-minded person, and a kid in the 60s, told me one day he was shocked at what he saw on MTV when he was channel surfing. "When I was a kid," he said, "Lucy and Ricky couldn't sleep in the same bed and they were MARRIED!"