Trips Downtown

(I believe that these glasses were purchased from someone other than "Jim", but they have a similar look)

Today, I had to go downtown for a doctor's appointment and I spent most of the trip there and back thinking of my sister up on that 5th floor in St. Peter's Hospital in Albany. I thought of our many trips downtown and around the city and some of the memories that we share. The wonderful trips shopping and eating with my mom and the interesting, wacky trips with my dad.

Years ago, when there was retail in downtown Syracuse, my mother used to take Tammie and I shopping at the big department stores there. We would go to Edwards, Dey Brothers and in later years, Sibley's. Oh and just before school started, we would head down to Wells and Coverly to buy clothes, shoes, etc. These were little adventures that we really enjoyed. In addition to the great shopping, Dey's and Edwards had these wonderful restaurants. Boy, do I miss the toasted cheese sandwiches at the Dey's Erie Room and the egg salad sandwiches at the Sibley's Deli.

My mother has never really enjoyed driving during the winter months, so we always took the bus during Christmas time. I remember the buses being red in color back then and we would walk about a quarter-mile to the bus stop on the corner of Camillus Drive and West Genesee St. On the way, my mother was always rushing. I imagine because one or the both of us dragged our feet when we were getting ready. I would lag behind and my mom would stop and holler for me to keep up. I didn't have the long legs that I have today, but I found a way to stop daydreaming and get going. At the corner, there was a orange band around a telephone pole indicating that it was an official bus stop and we would wait until our ride showed up and our adventure began.

My father was a salesman. In fact, he was a pharmaceutical representative for 32 years. His job required that he be away from home for three weeks a month and then he worked weekends at the Delaware Pharmacy on Geddes St in Syracuse. As a result of his work, we didn't get to see him that much when we were young. We always had a good time with him, though, when he was around.

Dad knew a lot of people and most of these characters were able to provide him with some "bargain" or "good deal". He had a contact who provided us with inexpensive eyeglasses. I remember going downtown with Dad and Tammie at night and struggling to find the back entrance to this "one of a kind" eyeglass manufacturer. Once we got up to the third floor or so, a gentleman smoking a cigar would greet us and slowly turn on a few lights. There were several filing cabinets in the room and they were filled with all of these frames. The man ("Jim") would carefully take out the eyeglasses, hold them up to the "light" and then place them on our heads. "Jim" was very particular and serious about his work, and would order us to look straight ahead while he examined how the frames looked from every angle. All the while, he would be smoking a tiny stub of a cigar and blowing smoke all around the room. If we got a "not bad", we usually found our new glasses.

Then there was the Central Surplus shoe store that was across from Delaware Pharmacy. They sold knock-off sneakers and other odd shoes that initially looked fantastic! Evidently, they had great prices, too. We would get these new sneakers that would last a couple of weeks and then start to disintegrate. Usually, this would occur as I was in gym class and trying to guard Todd Curry or some other great athlete in basketball or that god awful, European Handball. The bottom of the shoe would come apart or the sides would tear away, but despite this, we loved those trips and my father's "good deals".

After I finished with my doctor "adventure" and returned home, I decided to take a book and read at my favorite picnic table at the Camillus Erie Canal Park. As I was reading, I could hear a passing train's whistle and the crackle of leaves blowing in the wind. At the same time, I heard something or someone walking through the nearby woods and the noise appeared to be getting closer and closer to where I was sitting. The anticipation was killing me and I put the book down and looked into the woods. As soon as I stood up, the noise disappeared and I was not able to make out what caused it. Eventually, the noise faded and I was left alone with my book.

I think that memories are a bit like that noise in the woods. I can almost see the red bus, the monorail in Edwards, the great Christmas display in Sibley's, the little man with the cigar, and my sister at my side. Almost, but not completely. The more I try and imagine, the more the faces and the times fade. I would give anything to head out on one more adventure with my sister.

Echoes of the past

Drawing closer and closer

She never appears

An Early Autumn