I am learning that my cultural references are no longer relevant in today’s world. Recently my husband and I were staying at the vacation home of one of our children. It was a beautiful sunny day, and I was out on the front porch touching up the paint on the railing leading to the front door. There was a popular restaurant a few doors down the street, and as it was a lovely, Colorado day there were any number of people walking by as I painted. Many comments were made with a smile, particularly by the men, on the fact that I was doing the painting. In reply, I started offering up my paint brush asking if I was making it look as much fun as Tom Sawyer had, and would they like to take my place.
The first few couples that passed were around my age. They just grinned at me and said that I did not look like I was having that much fun. Then two firemen appeared at the next door to inspect the rental’s fire alarms and extinguishers. They were young, in uniform, and toting all the equipment they carry around their waists. They also commented on my painting, and when I mentioned Tom Sawyer I got a completely blank look as they passed into the house with a shrug.
I thus began my afternoon’s experiment. If the people involved were over 55 they got the literary reference, making some smiling return, although none took me up on my offer. If they were younger I got a blank look as they passed quickly by the crazy painting lady. I had thought that Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn were established stars in our cultural heavens, but I was wrong. I understand that times change and so do cultural norms. But at the end of the day I had the depressing thought that all age groups could have probably told me who the Kardashians are.