The basement had no beds, so we all slept on the floor, but we didn’t mind at all.
I was recently watching one of my favorite childhood films. Because it was filmed in the city where I grew up, I adore this film very much. The movie also made me miss the simpler times in my life, when all I cared about was playing with my friends and running around. We lived on a block with a lot of single-family homes and a few apartment complexes at the end of the block. The parents and all the children in the neighborhood were acquainted. In consequence, it wasn’t unusual for some of us to spend the night at one another’s homes. In fact, we did that a lot during the summer. We used to spend most of our time at our friend Janelle’s house because it was the best on the street. The air conditioning in Janelle’s home was something that most of us did not have. And best of all, we all used to sleep in her finished basement, which also had a window air conditioner. Janelle’s older brother and sister were compelled to “babysit” us on those evenings, so her parents were fine with us staying in the basement. We watched our favorite TV shows, played games, and consumed unhealthy food. The best part, however, was undoubtedly getting to sleep in a cool, comfortable room. The basement had no beds, so we all slept on the floor, but we didn’t mind at all. To enhance the experience, we occasionally constructed improvised tents and forts. When air conditioning was scarce and expensive, those were the good old days. We now reside in homes with central air conditioning, the majority of us even. Undoubtedly, we have made progress.