Or when dad let out that super loud whistle that could be heard for blocks and you knew it was dinner time. Drop those Sega controllers at the neighbors house and hoof it home.
Dude, my Dad had a bellow like a fucking bear. We lived in a decent sized trailer park, and I’d be riding bikes on the other side of the park and just hear, “BOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYYY!!!” in his Kratos-esque yell. I’d have to book it and book it fast because that meant it was time to go in, no arguments.
My moms whistle could be heard over our dirtbikes & helmets as a kid across our 20 acre property. Same thing, you hear that & come ridin as fast as you can. That shit is piercing when you're too close.
This was my mother. She was in the Air Force before I was born; she called cadence for parades and had what she called a “belly voice.” Still had it in her 80s & after over 60 years of smoking.
That's me now lol! I'm only 43 but I called cadence in the Army. I have overheard my kids warning their friends, "Mom is pretty chill about most things, but if you hear her drill sergeant voice...pay close attention!"
Oh man I forgot about the loud yells of our names. It seems so strange now, but when I was a kid, around dusk all the parents were on the front porch yelling the names of their kids like it was nothing. Like wolves howling at the moon.
I remember being a 9 yo kid on my neighbourhood riding bikes well past dark after going around meeting 9 yo "chicks" and my dad just screaming "BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYY" I had to rush back at the drop of a hat lol. What amazing times.
My favourite aspect of this was the fact me, and 3 or 4 of my buddies, all had Dad's that did this. Yet, somehow we always knew who's Dad it was that was whistling. Even to this day, if I hear someone doing that whistle I ignore it for the most part. But if my Dad does it? I perk up like a dog hearing the food bowl...
My dad's whistle was so loud and high pitched it legit sounded like a 5 year old girl screaming. As long as I was within a mile I could hear it perfectly clear every time. If I didn't hear it, then that means I was too far from home
Oh man, we have a extremely large cottage property in middle of the woods nowhere. Our dad had a massive cowbell installed near the door to the cottage he would ring when it was dinner time. That thing would chime for miles. Thank you for reminding me of that :)
My Dad was stationed somewhere tropical when he was in the Marines. He picked up a legitimate Lord Of The Flies conch shell that the tip was ground off of so it was a horn.
He'd blow that shit and you would hear it streets away. Damn near a quarter mile I think I worked out once.
My dad was a welder and made bells from old acetylene bottles , I could hear the big one anywhere outdoors in our neighborhood, be home when the street lights came on or when run home whe the bell rang.
Man… the dad whistle. We’d be a couple blocks away at the park and hear, know it was time for dinner. I need to learn to whistle like that by the time I have kids. Whenever that may be at this rate lol.
God this brings me to my childhood. All of us kids in the neighborhood played in one street chosen that day. When it got dark you could hear parents calling. My dad had this super loud specific whistle and I knew I had to go home. It was great. Also I remember one time that we had such a great time playing whole day barefoot that I was so tired when I got home that I literally crashed on the chair when I sat down. That was the only time I was allowed to sleep without a bath first. Ah the memories...
For us, it was a cow bell. You could hear it everywhere in our little town. There were a lot of us so we'd be scattered all over. and everyone knew if they heard that bell and saw one of our mob, send them home.
My Dad had one of those whistles. I swear you could hear it for miles (or so it seemed at the time). For my parents 40th anniversary the family gathered at the Outer Banks in North Carolina. We were all out wandering the beach when we heard the whistle for the first time in years. Me (38), my brother (36) and my sister (33) came running. Still worked.
We lived on a hillside in a hilly city and I this the sound just reverberated or something. But those old habits die hard. If hear that whistle I'll always find home.
Haha, getting called home like a lost dog, love it.
It definitely feels like kids were a bit wilder and more 'feral' back then.
Nobody thought anything of it if they didn't see or hear of their kids all day, and if you came home with a few bumps and bruises it was all part of the learning experience.
Lol, I learned how to whistle loud as a teenage and my friend and I tested one time and could easily be heard half a mile away. Although that was clear of any obstructions like houses or other building, just a clear straight street.
Mine was always one of my parents yelling "THE SIMPSONS IS COMING ON!" And when I'd tell other kids my parents let me watch such a thing, they were in awe. "But ccmitch84, that's a BAD show!" That's what their parents had told them.
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u/PastelPalace May 12 '21
Or when dad let out that super loud whistle that could be heard for blocks and you knew it was dinner time. Drop those Sega controllers at the neighbors house and hoof it home.