Surveying the Gen X landscape and the origins of geek
It’s hard to believe there was a time when people didn’t know how to open a can. The “stay-on-tab” (or “pop-top”) slowly replaced the “pull tab” from about 1977 to 1980, because the latter was a major source of litter and sharp enough to be dangerous. The Pepsi can is from 1977, and the Coke can is from 1978.
Pics are from a fun blog called Soda Can Collection. (Where the hell does he put all those cans?)
The photos are via heath_bar/Flickr. We’re in Houston, Texas. Summer of ’86. First shot: if all those maps are connected, I’m impressed. The kids on the bed are drinking Cherry Coke, which was introduced in 1985 after the New Coke disaster. Just seeing that can brings back the essence of summer when summers were free. How about one of the greatest ’80s commercials ever to jog your memory?
The kid on the left is drinking a Minute Maid Lemon-Lime Soda. I found a commercial for that too. Pay close attention to the giant can at the very end taking the water bucket challenge.
Second shot: The blue book on the right is the rulebook for the first D&D Basic Set, a.k.a. “Holmes Basic,” released in 1977. Just above that, mostly obscured by the green dresser, is a board game called All the King’s Men. Originally released as Smess: The Ninny’s Chess in 1970, Parker Brothers re-released the game with a Medieval theme in 1979. I doubt that the revision was a coincidence.
I don’t remember if it was this particular contest, but I sure as hell remember peering into Coke cans on numerous occasions to see if I’d won anything. The light had to hit it just right.
Coke is it!
2 Warps to Neptune 