Old Downtown as a Rainy Day Memory

OLD DOWNTOWN AS A RAINY DAY MEMORY

On a rainy day when the air is thick with the sound of
dripping eaves and running gutters, I’m being lazy---
laying on the sofa and reminiscing of the old downtown
of my 1950's hometown in northeast Pennsylvania.
An image of Bolish’s Hardware drifts before me
with its industrious smells and scuffed, unvarnished
hardwood floors that creaked with age at every step
toward screws, bolts, nuts and washers stored away in
metal bins---later carefully dropped into 3x5 paper sacks
like candy for a kid, a sporadic Mr. Fix-It confidently
carrying away his cache---a symbol of his heroic self-
                            reliance.

My mind then wanders into Woolworths’ lunch bar---
hidden behind the rows of shelves packed tight with
household goods, toys, knickknacks, and other sundries
meant to fulfill the simple plans of housewives and the
                    wants of their children.
Here, head-scarved ladies served BLT sandwiches
on white bread with chips and a pickle on the side.
I would hope for all my worth my mother would order
me a glass of chocolate milk---knowing full well a bubbly
sugar-sweet soft-drink was out of the question. Suddenly

I’m recollecting the Sunday morning newsstand
where my father drove right after nine o’clock Mass---
its narrow confines choked with piles of Sunday papers,
racks of magazines, cigarettes, cigars, pipe tobacco, and
the ugly stuff my Uncle Gene loved to chew and spit into
empty milk cartons scattered around his house and lawn
            like sentries at their post. Here, my
Dad would buy a copy of the Elmira Telegram for the
local news and comics, and the New York Daily News
with its fascinating photos of Fifties’ Big Apple action.

I’m picturing the old downtown park with its diagonal,

crisscrossing  sidewalks, iron benches and towering elms

set between Desmond Street’s row of shops and the 1888 

              railroad station on Lehigh Avenue---

a park soon to be replaced by Newberrys’ brand new

cinder block store---a modern eyesore that blocked
railyard activity from the still interested ghosts and
            gawkers of the town’s railroad doings.

I’m recalling the Lehigh Valley railyard, seen from atop
the grime covered iron foot bridge to the Polish “East side.”  
I see it’s many tracks like claw marks in the sooty dirt;
even more are concealed by boxcars, tankers and coal cars
resembling long earthworms risen from the ground after
            a sudden storm. I can almost smell
the fumes from passing diesel-electric switchers shuttling
loaded cars into their proper place for the long rail ride to
            Buffalo or the Jersey City Terminal.
Later, as I  lay in bed, fantasizing in the muggy summer night,
the one & a half  mile away bang of couplers hitting couplers
would lull me into easy childhood sleep---much like drifting  
into the time laden sleep of an aging and daydreaming man.

Reviews

[Casey Truax]

An exploration of the depth of memory and the richness of everyday life. Delightful and well-crafted.

[kentuck14]

Bunny,
Thanks for reading and commenting. If I were playing that game today . . . the only antique would be me!
T

[Robert Trakofler]

Hey Kentuck:) I really enjoyed this reminiscence. Im a western Pa guy but much of your memories of small town Pa ring a familiar tune even in "Pittsburgh" (that they love to call the biggest small town in America) if you juxtapose Woolworth for Isalys and my favorite Hardware store (TNT) I used to love to play stump the hardware guys game with the old clerks and bring them my strange antiques I would periodically find or better yet ask them how to fix something strange that always got them going:) great write!!

[barleygirl]

An interesting array of recollections painted vividly with a good balance between things & people. In my hyperactive youth, I never sat & thought about ANYTHING! Then I became disabled (neck injury) & it was hard to slow myself down & cope with inactivity. Now that I've mastered it, I can very much appreciate how such a mind wander comes about, prompted by rain, or most anything other damn thing! *wink! wink!* Love this! Fondly, Margie

[kentuck14]

Margie,
Thanks for the sharing and your kind words. I'm quite enjoying my mind's activities.
Tom

[barleygirl]

Recently some young whippersnapper posted something about how all the old people do is write about the past . . . as if that's a bad thing?

[kentuck14]

they don't have a past.

[Chris Shaw]

Packed full of memories. What a nostalgia trip you have taken us on. It is wonderful at times to just drift off deeper and deeper into the detail of those old days, capturing the scents, the noise and the feelings those moments bring. Staying there a while, lingering before you snap back into reality of the new store about to replace a lovely park. There's change for certain, but not necessarily progress in my opinion. A great descriptive piece of writing Tom.

Chris

[kentuck14]

Chris,
Thanks for the kind review . . . funny thing about nostalgia . . . It has a way of creating its own images . . . hope my memories are as real as that.
T

[Chris Shaw]

You are welcome Tom. Have a great day my friend.

[S.zaynab.kamoonpury]

Wow very interesting how you describe and narrate here. The headscarf line caught my attention as I wear that. Great super way you recollect and depict the scenes. Kudos.

Pls pleez do review/ comment/ give yer thoughts on my newest poem. I like Interaction for the human feel.

[kentuck14]

S,
Thanks for your words . . . the headscarf was the style for many women back in the 50's, plus it kept hair from falling into people's food. I will look at your poem.
T

[gram linski]

Great daydream, a nostalgic wonder trip, well written, reads like a Seasick Steve, talking blues song, don't know if he is big in the States but you should check him out,

[kentuck14]

Thanks Gram . . . I just might do that!
T

[Samuel Dickens]

I enjoyed this ride to the past on Kentuck's way-back machine. Though your environment was far less primitive than mine, we saw saw life through similar eyes. The bit about hardwood floors made me think of McCreary's general store where the old fellow used some kind of red sawdust material when he swept.

[kentuck14]

Hey Sam,
Thanks for stopping by. The 50's might've seemed modern then . . . but looking back it seems pre-modern . . . just out of our caves. I don't know if life was really simplier . . . but to kid it just was . . .
T

[Crowley]

This is delicious....what a great piece of Americana this is. You hit the sights, the smells, the sounds and nostalgia that gives me goose bumps every time. Masterful my friend, loved this immensely!

[kentuck14]

C,
Thanks for your enthusiastic review. Yeah the old town ain't what it use to be! Come to think of it . . . neither am I! How are things on Covington Square!?
T
T

[Annette Pisano-Higley]

Great period piece Tom. Your many descriptive details bring the sights, sounds and smells of your childhood in northeast Pennsylvania to life. I can picture the railyard as you nostalgically narrate, “I see its many tracks like claw marks in the sooty dirt.” This is an authentic, well-written and truly captivating write.

[kentuck14]

A,
Thanks for your most gracious review. The old railyard has all but disappeared. Rail cars are still repaired in town. But now CSX just runs through w/o stopping.