Dear Child,
The words that follow are aimed at all born in the 18th year of the 21st century. I don’t know what life will be like for you when look back from the observation deck of your mature years…is there still something called retirement? But here’s what you missed by showing up late.
*I used to buy gasoline for 19 cents a gallon a the Fina Station where a guy would come out of the little office, wash my windshield and actually talk to me. I couldn’t buy hotdogs or detergent there. The A&P for detergent. My kitchen at home for hotdogs.
*Places you could go watch a movie — pictures displayed on a big screen–where an organ would rise out of the stage floor and play Take Me Out To The Ballgame . Like a karaoke group. Karaoke. Never mind.
*The little white frame building behind the record store on Greenville Avenue where you buy a hamburger…a real one…for 25 cents. The place had only four counter stools…no booths or tables…but the burger was worth standing up for. I smelled like the fried meat, onions and the wonderful place for about three days.
*You missed seeing my 1941 Chevy sedan, green, that I nicknamed “The Green Hornet”. I’ll explain that some other day. She had fender skirts on the back and a lowered rear end. This is an automotive memory, not a personal one. I couldn’t afford the necessary equipment to lower the back end, so I loaded the trunk with big rocks. It worked. I was cool. Gas mileage was pretty bad.
*Jimmy the butcher used a big wooden block table and a fearful chopping tool to separate pieces of chicken or slabs of beef. He never wore a net cap and he always flicked away his cigarette ashes before wrapping the ground meat. There was sawdust on the floor of his work area, obviously as a sanitary precaution. I think he changed it when it appeared a light shade of pink.
*I shook hands once with a man running for some city office. He knocked on our door, came in, had a glass of water, and told us his story for a better future. He was nice. I think he stayed for maybe half an hour then shook our hands…mine, too…and said goodbye. After he was gone my grandfather explained the difference between a statesman and a politician. I understand now. Grandfather was right. When I get up most mornings now, I seem to always conclude that we need more of the first and far fewer of the second.
Well, I have other helpful revelations on my list but I must go for now. My new ionic diffuser doesn’t seem to be connecting with the bluetooth setting and I may have go reboot the whole system.
Good luck. Have fun. Make memories.
Where I live, exercise walking is a year-round invitation.
Pleasant in winter. Hot in summer. Inviting all the time.
But here in the Sonoran Desert, there is competition
for the pathway, especially early in the morning, the
only time to beat the summer heat.
Shining Spirit 
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