I heard one of my dear friends say that America was at its best in 1956. I'm not sure what he used as a criterion for this opinion, but at this point in my life, I can see his point. Starting at age 5, we walked to school about a mile away with our friends. We all lived in the same tract house development without security gates or fences. It was a time, under some circumstances, when talking to a stranger wasn't dangerous.As a young child, I was free...