Crouching in the Hallway

[strawman]

In my early years I was made to crouch in the hallways with my classmates, because this is what we will do when the Russians drop A-bombs on us. A whole generation of kids grew up knowing that sometimes the world doesn't end as predicted. As a result, we got snarky and skeptical when various Malthusian skies failed to fall. We began to laugh.

You'll see, my young friend. The movie doesn't end this way.
Then one day we looked up with our wrinkled faces at our children's laughing children.

Everyone dies after all.
Just not crouching in the hallway.

[pondspider]

I think I see the point your making.

[unseentangerine]

wow, you're old

[pondspider]

wow, you're old

I didn't want to mention that

[strawman]

I prefer to think of myself as wise.

[MonsieurMoustache]

I enjoyed this one. A nice old bitterness in it. And anything revisiting the Cold War is awesome, love studying the psychology of that time. The ending is wonderfully bleak as well.

I'm curious about your use of 'Malthusian' - I thought this had something to do with eventual overpopulation of Earth?

Also the tenses switch around a lot. I wasn't sure if you were attempting to show an accent or if it just slipped your mind; I know it's a particular weakness of mine.

[KateZiervogel]

Lovely drabble. I can also relate. "Back in the day" we were also told to crouch under our desks at school, afraid of the bombs that the ANC would hurl at the white-only schools. We deserved to look so foolish.

[strawman]

We deserved to look so foolish.

This still is related to the 80 year old grandmother in the wheelchair, stripped naked at the airport,

[strawman]

Also the tenses switch around a lot.

A result of reminiscence. Dign't feel right adding quotes to "because this is what we will do when the Russians drop A-bombs on us" because it's a memorized explanation from no one in particular.