“Back to Remembering Mama….”

May 6th “Back to Remembering Mama….”

For all of us – that is those – who can just sit back and tell everyone who would like to listen – of all the old memories that we can remember – that is – just as if they were happening – right NOW! We all have “memories” – and some of us – just have had the best LIFE – that – very good “memories” seem to be made each and every day!

So, by us – “MOM and me” – just taking a few steps from our house and going Westerly on Carter Avenue – we could be on our way to the “Food Center Grocery Store” located on Warne Avenue (where I had made a million trips to for the FAMILY) – or if we would continue on to the right on Warne, to West Florissant Avenue – we would now be standing at “The Wedge” – so, we now have several choices??? (This is really the “CIRCLE” – every direction from here is exciting!)

On Saturdays and or on a Sunday afternoon, we might be going to visit the “Pink Sisters” as they celebrated the Evening Benediction services – as these NUNS are a cloister order and were always in “Prayer Services” – and their location near the O’Fallon Park – was like walking and stopping in HEAVEN – that is for a short time. Back in those days – my MOM and I always carried a clean handkerchief in our purse – that was so we could stop in a Church – as in those days – you had to have something on your head, when visiting inside a Church.

If this was going to be an evening – just to take a walk – from the “WEDGE” and Westerly now – walking – there was “OUR” second location for a terrific “Maple Nut Sundae” – or and – if we wanted to do more walking… we would each get our favorite flavor “Ice Cream Cone” – my favorite two scupper was “Swiss Chocolate” and MOM’s” favorite was “Vanilla” – and as we walked enjoying all that the “World” had to offer – we talked and would take a a small “LICK” as we enjoyed everything that we could see – and in doing this – – for miles and miles – we walked and enjoyed making the ice cream cone last – forever!

Within a block of that “Ice Cream Store” – was the “O’Fallon Theater” – this was one very busy Theater – back in the day! When I was a little kid – during the WWII years – I remember that on Wednesdays’ – when you attended the “MOVIE” – you were also entitled to a “Free Dish”- and we were a very faithful family attending – guess MOM liked those dishes – and so we accumulated – plenty of them??? Years later – and after the “FREE Dish” giveaway – we would still go to the movies – especially – if there was something special that MOM wanted to see. The movie had to have one of her favorite actors – – otherwise on SUNDAYS – in the afternoons- – I would receive ten cents for each of us – my two brothers and myself – and we would watch the movies as if – we were in another world… and there was no ending???

The walk to the “O’Fallon Theater” was not too long for us “KIDS” – and in the SUMMER – it was so nice and cool… – and we were so comfortable – and of course I always enjoyed the “MOVIES” – and I was suppose to also know that the “MOVIES” are shown three times and after the second time – I was suppose to bring my brothers back – home??? But the “MOVIES” were another wonderful world – that most of the time – I just was so interested in that “MOVIE” – “if it were possible” – we would still be there TODAY – watching… but – all good things – have to come to an end sometime???

So… many times, my MOTHER would have to come to the “O’FALLON THEATER” – and ask permission to look for her children in the “THEATER” – and sometimes – I was able to talk her into staying and letting us all stay – just a little longer to finish seeing whatever… – we were enjoying! Those sure were the days – especially for us and me – who enjoyed “walking” – as, we – sure were a FAMILY of walkers – “HOW else would you get – to where you thought you needed to be – during the WWII days??”