What was going on when I was born?

French election choices produce ennui among the young A2 Gap is wide at Thatcher-Gandhi talks in New Delhi A3 Coca-Cola brings ''tasty happiness'' to Peking A3 Suzuki says he will ask Reagan about sinking of Japanese ship A4 Around the World A5 Afghans and Russians said to seize man near U.S. Embassy A6 Bani-Sadr, in budget battle, regains office funds A8 Weinberger tells Ottawa Reagan plans to go ahead with the F-18 A14 Government/Politics Kean draws opponents' fire in Jersey primary race B2 Ex-Casino Commission official denies Williams pressured him B6 Coalition seeking opponent to Koch is disbanding B12 Postal Service seeks single labor bargaining unit B14 General Around the Nation A18 F.B.I. agent's remarks on murders stir anger in Atlanta A24 Parley on elderly voices fear of Reagan budget cuts A26 Thefts from hand trucks on the rise in garment district B3 Gallup poll finds more favorable attitudes toward Jews B14 Features/Notes Man in the News: Thomas Bradley, a winner in Los Angeles A28 Notes on People C13 PARKING REGULATIONS Because of Good Friday and Passover, alternate-side parking will be suspended in New York City tomorrow and Saturday. All other parking rules remain in effect. The Home Section Home In Harlem's elegant Strivers' Row C1 At furniture market, a few new ideas enliven quiet show C1 The risks in using paints and strippers C3 For upholstery, a comeback of jacquards C8 Architect is catalyst in mar- riage of styles C10 Choosing scissors right for the task C11 So many keys, so few pockets, such ire C1 Hers C2 Helpful Hardware C2 Home Beat C3 Home Improvement C4 Gardening C12 Health/Science Eight U.S. senators urge home- care aid for elderly A20 France postpones broadcasts to televise shuttle landing B8 Arts/Entertainment Orchestre Toulouse plays Faure Monologues pinpoint flaws in recent Broadway plays C17 Acting Company performs Goldoni's ''Il Campiello'' C20 David Irving's ''War Between the Generals'' is reviewed C21 Mannes music school rebounds from recent troubles C21 Jackie Cooper, at 58, looks back on unhappy childhood C22 Public Radio plans Jonestown broadcast for 10th anniversary C31 Sports Mets turn back Cards in home opener, 5-3 B15 Yankees beat Blue Jays, 6-3 B15 Villanova drops football program B15 Soviet rout Canada in world hockey tourney B16 Dave Anderson on Hubie Brooks, the Mets' 68th third baseman B15 76ers defeat Bucks, 116-99, and lead playoff series by 3-2 B17 Ryan moves into third place on ca reer strikeout list B18 Trainer of Proud Appeal finally gains New York recognition B19 Obituaries William H. Vanderbilt, ex-Governor of Rhode Island B12 Lillie Shultz, journalist and official of Jewish Congress B12 Frank W. Packard, wine merchant and retailer in Jersey B12 News Analysis Bernard Gwertzman examines Awacs sale to Saudis A11 Editorials/Letters/Op-Ed Editorials A30 Deadlocks in Albany Pardoning the F.B.I.'s past Dear Abby China is not a card Letters A30 William Safire: 'naked to mine enemies' A31 Anthony Lewis: conserving the society A31 Ed Clark: Reagan? Free enterprise? A31 Lawrence J. O'Brien Jr.: sharing the port barrel A31

Vice President Bush said today that President Reagan ''would give the veto very, very serious consideration'' if Congress passed a one-year tax cut instead of the three-year plan recommended by the President. The Vice President's remark was part of a chorus of hard-line statements from Mr. Reagan's surrogates as the White House began a political counteroffensive to offset reports that the President was willing to compromise on his tax plan. In words so similar that at times they might have been speaking from a common script, Mr. Bush, Donald T. Regan, the Secretary of the Treasury, and Larry Speakes, the deputy White House press secretary, asserted that public pressure would force Congress to support Mr. Reagan's plan to cut income taxes by 10 percent a year for three successive years. President 'Feels Great' The threat of a veto and the idea that Congress must submit to the President were put forward as Mr. Reagan remained in the White House living quarters. Dr. Daniel Ruge, Mr. Reagan's personal physician, said the 70-year-old President ''feels great'' 16 days after he was shot in the left lung by an assassin outside the Washington Hilton Hotel.

Firefighters in Yonkers walked off their jobs in a labor dispute late this afternoon, leaving the state's fourth largest city without fire protection. A state of emergency was declared by City Manager Eugene J. Fox, who put into effect ''our contingency strike plan to insure that the welfare and safety of the public is protected.'' Yonkers police officers began a 24-hour watch on all fire stations and public buildings, Mr. Fox said. Picket lines were set up at some of the city's 13 firehouses after bargaining talks collapsed after 5 P.M. at City Hall. About 10:50 P.M., a fire was reported in a stairwell of an abandoned four-story apartment building at the corner of Riverdale Avenue and Knowles Street. It was brought under control within an hour by the Fire Commissioner, Richard S. Smith, and a deputy chief, who arrived in two cars and used fire extinguishers to fight the blaze.

Several counties around New York City took steps this week that increased support for a controversial statewide antilitter bill that would require a nickel deposit on every soft-drink and beer container sold at retail. A divided Koch adminstration is expected to decide by next week whether the city will support the bill, which has sparked a debate primarily over its economic effects on the state. City economists estimate that 2.2 billion such bottles and cans are sold in New York City alone in a year. On Monday a Suffolk County law, similar to the proposed state bill, was signed by County Executive Peter F. Cohalan. It is the first county law of its kind in New York. Mr. Cohalan urged Mayor Koch and others in the region to follow suit.

''Four years ago thousands of draft evaders and others who violated the Selective Service laws were unconditionally pardoned by my predecessor.

In normal times, yesterday would have been a day when New York City could have gone to the bank with $280 million in state aid for education. But these are not normal times, and with the state showing no hurry to produce a new budget, the city did not get the money that was its due yesterday. At City Hall, the bad news produced a collective shrugging of shoulders. ''Our own cash-flow projections show that we can make it well into May before we have troubles of our own,'' said James R. Brigham Jr., Mayor Koch's Budget Director.