Through the Eyes of a Child

Well, tonight is concert night at Trinity Methodist. It is a lovely church, a nice gothic-looking stone thing with warm wood inside. It used to be a 60's contemporary monstrosity at the end of my street. Now it is at the end of my little brother's street, as he is living in the family homestead now.

I have so many memories of the church and its grounds, and the little shopping center they built next door. Today I parked in the center parking lot, and had to climb over a small wall just as in days of old. I like that is still there, just as it was. I will never forget how exciting it was when the little place was built. It had a drug store with a soda fountain. We would have cokes and play the juke box. I was a tag along, probably 9 or 10, but I loved hanging out with my older sister and the girl two doors down who was right in between us in age. We shared. She was a huge Beatles fan and really all the British invasion. And an only child so she got everything. We lived vicariously through her.

Roller skating was what we did often, and we would skate on the sidewalks between all the church buildings. They were smooth and nice for skating, and had the seams between each slab of concrete that made that clicking when your wheels rolled over; sort of like divit, divit, divit. These sidewalks came in at all angles and met in a central courtyard where fancy turns could be done. We wore metal skates that screwed onto our shoes and we tightened them with a key worn around our neck on a string.

There was also a small playground that is no longer there. It had two rows of good swings, some monkey bars and a small shiny silver slide. Those swings witnessed all manner of discussions, I know we would sit on them and talk about boys, or the Beatles, or whatever. When we were tired of skating or swinging, we could climb over the little wall and go have a coke, or maybe down to baskin-robbins for a sample and a bag full of cracked sugar cones. What a treat. Walking home, we might rest on the grassy banks that surrounded the church parking lot. There was a little shade from some crepe myrtles. We could lie back and look at the clouds, just laze away those long days. Then the walk home, not quite a block.

I sort of feel melancholy, nostalgic really, when I go to the little shopping center or the church these days. I know there are others who remember the old times, but my particular memories are so poignant. I want to tell other people about them, much like an old man might long to tell a story from his past youth. It just sort of rises up inside like a big achy throb, brings tears to the eyes, and you want someone to remember with you, to confirm it all.

I know this sounds like memory lane, but for some reason, the juncture of the shopping center parking lot with the little wall into the church parking lot, has just stayed with me. It is in dreams sometimes. Why, I can't say. But it seems to mean something, I just don't know what.

Well, anyhow, I need to get ready for the big evening. Afterward we are dining at Bonefish. I will enjoy being through with chorus for awhile. I have to admit that with Chris out, and Joe not being there, I haven't liked it much at all this spring.

In other exciting news, I bought tile for my sun room. More later!