Orange Shag Carpet

Orange shag carpet conjures up images of dress-up dolls, mismatched plaids and paisleys, gawdy linóleum, and Tiddly-Winks (which of course would get lost in the orange shag carpet). It reminds me of the Doobie Brothers and of our colorful, free-living, fellow apartment-dwelling neighbors, Carl and Cindy (one might say they were “herbal enthusiasts”). Orange shag gave one a sense of mystery, frivolity, and sort of a Mother Earth-ish brand of peace all at the same time. It was both a sign of the richness of the culture and the simpleness of life. 

One didn’t have to be rich to live in a home with shag carpet. It was as common as dirt and seemed to be available everywhere, at all income levels and walks of life. Orange shag carpet, to my juvenile mind, meant coziness and the closeness of family. It was a comforting sign that went along with the kidney-shaped tables, Tupperware, and macramé of the day. It was a part of a wonderful upbringing as far as I was concerned, filled with rabbit ears (on top of the t.v.), metal lunchboxes, and Twinkies. It was a time when bakeries gave out cookies, parks were well-groomed, and Tasty Freeze burgers were heavenly. It was my childhood.