Exploring a Small Town

When I was a kid there were times I would go to town just to go to town. It could be a neat place to explore if you did it right. Looking back, I am amazed at how many places tolerated me – or us, since I wasn't the only one doing it.

Richeson’s Drugstore was full of things to “look at”. Some of them were things I wanted; others were things I wondered about. Ernie Richeson never said a word. He knew I was “just lookin’” because I obviously didn’t have any money, but occasionally he would have an errand he need someone to do, so he benefited from my being there too. Most errands paid off at a single scoop of ice cream, my choice..

The dime stores were probably the most visited places. They were a cornucopia of wonders to a little kid. One and a half aisles were basically worthless since they had plastic flowers and “grown up” stuff, but the rest were toys, games, baseball gloves, and a lot of other things to wish for. Then, on your way out the door was a large glass case full of candy. Gum drops, M&Ms, Boston Baked Beans, Jelly Beans, and so much more with the unheard of price of 25 or 30 cents a pound! That was a fortune when you had no more than a nickel in your pocket.

One of my biggest life lessons happened in the dime store that sat opposite the bank. I was 6 or 7 and for whatever reason I was in the store by myself. I saw a large multi colored balloon that expanded to almost beach ball size when inflated and was thick and durable. I had to have it even though I didn’t have the money. The only option was to take that short step toward delinquency, so I stuffed the balloon in my pocket and headed for the door. Of course, the guy working there saw me and grabbed my arm before I made it outside. He kept me there while he stepped outside the door and called over the policeman who was standing on the corner. I think it was Boob Mills, but I honestly don’t remember. All I do remember is he read me the riot act. If his idea was to scare me, he was doing a superb job because I was shaking in my shoes. After a few minutes of a lecture that seemed hours long, he let me go with a stern warning. There has never been another time in my life that I was so scared, and no time since have I even contemplated something even slightly dishonest without seeing that cop standing over me giving me hell.

Another place of interest was the corner drug store. It was the library of sorts because it had a magazine rack and comic books. In the beginning, they were 10 cents, then 12 cents, then 15 cents. Those were major increases for someone of my financial situation, but I paid them anyway.

Sometimes, Charlie Arp’s store was another stop. His hardwood floors were always cool and he didn’t mind if you visited. He was another guy who needed an occasional errand ran. Depending on the errand, you might get anything from a Tootsie Pop to a soda pop, or even a Brown Cow.

Also, if it was Saturday (which it usually was on my excursions to town) and the weather was good, the streets would be crowded with people “comin’ to town”, especially by the White Store. That was when you met up with some of the guys you didn’t see very often. It gave you someone to run around with, which was a lot more fun than being by yourself.