I can't help but think back to the small store, much like the movie, that was next to Highland Elementary School. Store-bikeracks- school.... Walking in the squeaky door, there were cases of candies.. no, I mean everything! The movie IS that store! Jawbreakers, baseball cards, strips of paper with dots of flavored mints, lickamaid, straws with the most acidic flavors, bubble gum, canisters of sheer "JOY". For pennies, you were good to go on the walk home. A small bag could last til dinner.
But let me go back to baseball cards. This was the place to get Mickey Mantle or other scarce players you kept in a shoe box. Each team was separated and each box was the American or National Leagues. Scarce card duplicates were trades with a sellers advantage. Whole line ups were spread out on a table or the bare ground to find any lineup gaps to fill. Summers were occupied by listening to games with the player cards spread out like the game in progress. Imagination at work.
Then there was the "Corner." In today's speak, this means taking dogs out for a walk. Back in our day, it meant going through the backyard, down the hill to the corner store. It was a fantasy place that many called "Gyper Jack's." He had candy, toys and other kid stuff , basic home needs, but also candy. Rumor had it Jack was an ex con so we were all on guard. But hey, when it came to picking out candy, everyone is our friend.
It is burned into my memory a time I bought a toy pistol and put it on mom's "charge". Bad idea. Not only did I lose the pistol, I could not go to the Corner for a week or buy anything EVER on credit. Ah, the lessons I learn from my mom.
DJ comment: We were in Rockford in 2009 and I took this picture of "Gyper Jack's" as it looks today.........
You know, being too young to understand that "Gyper Jack" was not actually his name, I addressed his as that. I don't remember exactly what clued my in that this was a faux pas. More that likely, I called him that when I was in the store with mom. That store was magical to me.
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