All Hail The Vikings!
Being a kid was different then.
Nowadays, parents feel the need to make sure that every single
non-school moment is scheduled with an activity…
Karate Class, Ballet, Drama Workshop, Soccer, Young Republicans.
In Da Bronx, in the 50’s…
we simply ‘”went out”.
As soon as we heard that 3:00 school dismissal bell…
we took to the streets…
for Stickball, Ring-a-Levio, Skully, Red Rover, Johnny-on-the-Pony.
No organization needed.
We simply ran and played and laughed…
until our moms called us home.
Now, that’s not to say there weren’t any organized after-school activities.
I actually dabbled in a few.
I was a Cub Scout …
for two meetings…too many rules!
I was in the Little League…
until I was punished for playing hooky, and was forced to quit.
(Thus ending my chance for the majors )
In the 7th grade, I actually went to one Junior United Nations club
at a friends house…
that ended in an early “make out session”.
(I was trying to “invade” Italy).
And before all that…
when I was about 9 years old…
of course I was a member of…
THE VIKINGS!
Wait!! You’ve never heard of The Vikings??
I’m shocked!
Well, it was a rather elite organization.
A grand total of 4 members.
I was the founder.
There was me, Linus Hall, Pete Christie and Jerry Galligan.
(Although, we did plan a major “recruiting” effort.)
Going through an old trunk in my closet,
I recently discovered the long-lost annals of… The Vikings.
It describes a club that was somewhat unique,
and to be candid…
somewhat uncomfortably reveals my early quest for control and power.
The origin of the name, The Vikings…
was the 1958 Kirk Douglas–Tony Curtis epic.
“MIGHTIEST OF MEN!
MIGHTIEST OF SPECTACLES!
MIGHTIEST OF MOTION PICTURES!”
Somehow all that testosterone,
(and slave girl cleavage),
was an inspiration to a 9 year-old boy.
In one of my Dad’s leather-bound accounting journals,
I discovered three yellowing pages,
archiving the “Constitution” and “by-laws” of The Vikings.
First there is a listing of the “Officers”:
AND, there, at the very top,
in a blatant example of hubris…
is…ME!
The self-appointed Five Star Admiral ???
The other members were also “Admirals”,
but alas, with no “stars”.
And poor Jerry (who was not one of my favorites),
was designated as a lowly “Cernal” (sic).
There was also a “mascot”…
Linus’ little sister Regina.
Not really sure what the mascot’s role was???
And like any cub scout troop…
we had “Club Mothers”…
my sister Ellen and her best friend, Barbara.
Then we come to The Vikings’ Pledge.
“I promise always to be loyal to The Vikings”.
(OK, fair enough. Although I don’t know exactly what defined “loyalty”?)
“I know the Vikings meant good when they conquered France”.
(Wait! What?? Bit heavy for a 9 year-old….don’t you think?)
“I promise always to obey my Master”.
(Yeah…this is where it gets creepy. I was a little mini-dictator!!)
“I promise that I will always pay my dues”.
(Well…privilege has a price.)
“I promise I will never, while in the Vikings,
cheat, fight with each other, be a poor sport”.
( Very moral...but note…this was only “while in the Vikings”!)
So now to the “dues”.
Offering the exclusive “Viking experience” did not come cheap.
5 cents every Saturday.
Paid in full. On time.
The dues would go to fund…“trips, parties and other enjoyable things”.
Hmmm.???
“There are always nice trips to take. Here are some:
Zoo, Bowling, Baseball games, movies”
“Some parties we might make are:
Birthday parties, Holiday parties, Pizza parties, Baseball parties…
and Monster Parties”.
(Not quite sure what a Monster Party entailed???)
We certainly intended to make good use of that 5 cents a week!
The following pages recorded some meeting notes.
Seems The Vikings had a total of TWO meetings.
Each consisted of “initiating” potential new members by some sort of roughhousing.
Also seems, only two founding members were able to pay their first round of dues.
(Not quite enough for a Zoo trip or a “Monster Party!)
So sadly…
The Vikings were disbanded.
But… THEIR LEGACY LIVES ON!
Would love to hear about your childhood clubs.
