PLACES--VINTAGE SHOP-- AND OLD MEMORIES

NOT THE STORY I HAD IN MIND FOR THIS WEEK-BUT….SATURDAY--FEB--4

 

I HAD A SMALL PIECE OF BUSINESS TO TAKE CARE OF IN EAST WINDSOR CT..AS IT TURNS OUT, THERE IS A SMALL LITTLE PLACE RIGHT OFF OF 91 NORTH THAT I LIKE TO VISIT FROM TIME TO TIME CALLED “THE VINTAGE SHOP.” I HAVE ALWAYS HAD A CERTAIN ADMIRATION FOR OLD TIME CRAFTSMANSHIP AND WITHIN THE WALLS OF THE SHOP ARE EXAMPLES OF EVERY SORT OF WORKMANSHIP..EVERYTHING FROM JEWELRY TO FURNITURE, NICK-KNACKS, OLD LAMPS, COINS, FIGURINES, BUTTONS AND MY FAVORITE-OLD CLOCKS..I CANNOT GET INTO SPECIFICS ABOUT THESE OLD PIECES BECAUSE OF MY LACK OF KNOWLEDGE..ESSENTIALLY, I JUST LIKE ADMIRING THESE OLD GEMS..BUT WHILE I WAS WALKING AMONG THE OLD CLOCKS MY MIND WANDERED BACK TO ANOTHER LONG-AGO TIME…..I SHARE WITH YOU NOW:::

 

WHEN I WAS SOMEWHERE AROUND 10 MAYBE 12 YEARS OLD, I HAD THE SWEET EXPERIENCE OF MY FIRST PUPPY LOVE..HER NAME WAS ELENA..A BEAUTIFUL PORTUGUESE GIRL WHOSE FAMILY RENTED AN APARTMENT IN MY UNCLE’S BUILDING..ON ONE HOT SUMMER AFTERNOON, ELENA BECAME ONE OF THE MOST FONDLY REMEMBERED MILESTONES IN MY CHILDHOOD..SHE PLACED HER SWEET YOUNG LIPS AGAINST MINE THEREBY BECOMING THE FIRST GIRL I EVER KISSED..I NEVER FORGOT THAT MOMENT NOR THE WAY MY HEART POUNDED FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE HOURS AFTERWARDS..UNFORTUNATELY, SHORTLY AFTER THAT SWEET MOMENT IN MY LIFE, HER FAMILY WENT ON A TRIP TO PORTUGAL AND I WAS LEFT HEART-BROKEN AND VERY LONELY..

 

DURING THAT SUMMER OF SORROW I LANGUISHED WHILE AWAITING HER RETURN..TO PASS THE TIME I COLLECTED BOTTLES FOR THE REFUND (2 CENTS BACK THEN) AND DID CHORES AROUND THE NEIGHBORHOOD TO EARN A BIT OF MONEY..I HAD ALWAYS BEEN A READER (EVEN BACK THEN) AND I HAD JUST DISCOVERED COMIC BOOKS AT A ‘LIGGETT’S’ DRUG STORE..MY VERY FIRST COMIC BOOK PURCHASE WAS A THICK ‘MARVEL’ ISSUE..THAT SAME ISSUE INTRODUCED “SPIDERMAN” AND IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, HE PERFORMED ON THE “ED SULLIVAN SHOW.” I BECAME AN INSTANT ‘SPIDERMAN’ FAN..AND FOR THE NEXT THREE OR FOUR YEARS, I PURCHASED EVERY ISSUE..I ALSO COLLECTED EVERY ISSUE OF “DAREDEVIL” THE “X-MEN” AND A FEW OF “IRON MAN"..THEN OTHER INTERESTS CAME INTO PLAY IN MY LIFE AND A TALL STACK OF COMIC BOOKS LAY FORGOTTEN IN THE CORNER OF MY BEDROOM CLOSET..

 

YEARS WENT BY, SEASONS ROLLED ON AND SUDDENLY “SPIDERMAN” COMICS WERE WORTH BIG BUCKS.. WITH A SENSE OF URGENCY I DUG AROUND ALL MY OLD STUFF AND SEARCHED IN ALL THE FORGOTTEN NOOKS AND CRANNIES AROUND THE HOUSE AND GARAGE BUT TO NO AVAIL..I WAS TO LEARN THAT MY MOM HAD THROWN OUT THOSE VALUABLE OLD COMICS DURING MY TIME IN THE MARINES..OH WELL, NO REALLY BIG DEAL, I WAS BORN WITH NOTHING AND I STILL HAVE A LOT OF IT LEFT..



THIS OLD TIMER HAS BEEN AROUND SINCE 1841!!



BACK TO THE VINTAGE SHOP---I LOVE THE PLACE AND IF YOU EVER FEEL LIKE KICKING AROUND FOR A FEW HOURS CHECK IT OUT..91 NORTH TO THE WAREHOUSE POINT EXIT, HOOK A LEFT AT THE LIGHT AND GO DOWN THE ROAD A COUPLE MILES-CAN’T MISS IT ON THE RIGHT..GOOD PEOPLE, KNOWLEDGEABLE PEOPLE..FUN PLACE TO VISIT..NICE STRECH OF HIGHWAY ON THE BIKE..

 

I LEFT THE PLACE IN A KIND OF MELANCHOLY STATE OF MIND..A WHOLE BUILDING FULL OF SOME BEAUTIFUL OLD PIECES.. AT SOME POINT IN TIME EACH ARTICLE BELONGED TO SOMEONE WHO HAD CARED FOR AND TREASURED IT..NOW THEY SIT IN ELEGANT SPLENDOR AWAITING A NEW HOME, A NEW FAMILY..I REALIZED (ONCE AGAIN) THAT THE ONLY THINGS THAT WE REALLY TAKE WITH US WHEN WE LEAVE THIS GOOD OLD EARTH ARE OUR MEMORIES…I THANK YOU, ELENA, FOR THE HAPPY MEMORIES THAT BRIGHTENED MY SOMEWHAT TRICKY CHILDHOOD..

MEET BOB-HE'S THE CLOCK MAN AT VINTAGE SHOPS.
SINCE 1970 HE'S BEEN WORKING ON CLOCKS AS A HOBBY.
HIS HOBBY TURNED INTO A BUSINESS AND NOW
IT HAS BECOME A RETIREMENT BUSINESS..
HE'S BEEN AT VINTAGE SHOPS FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
U.S. ARMY ARTILLERY MAN DURING THE VIET NAM ERA
**THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE**

P.S. ELENA WENT ON TO MARRY AND RAISE A FAMILY—SHE NOW LIVES SOMEWHERE IN FLORIDA AND ON OCCASION, HER FACE COMES TO MY MEMORY AND BRINGS A SMILE TO MY HEART WHEN I REMEMBER THAT ALMOST FAIRY TALE TIME IN MY LIFE..I WISH HER AND HER FAMILY GOOD FORTUNE AND MUCH HAPPINESS.. 



JUST LOVE THE SOUND OF MY BIKE IN THIS TUNNEL

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                                                      TILL NEXT WEEK--GIVE EACH OTHER
                                                                  GREAT MEMORIES
                                                                             *****
                                                                              JIM

                                                         ON A PERSONAL NOTE::
                     ELENA-IF BY SOME SMALL CHANCE YOU HAPPEN TO READ THIS
                                 I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR HOW YOU'RE DOING..