Before there was Amazon, before there was a Walmart there was Crosby's Sporting Store, a boy's dream. Glass cases with pocket knives alongside hunting knives with leather sheaths. Basketballs, footballs, and baseballs, both hard and soft. Fishing rods and all kinds of reels. If dad took me there I knew I would be getting something, like a glove to play catch. If my brother took me into Crosby’s it was simply to look. Aurora, a small town, had all kinds of stores. Back then, whatever someone wanted there was a store downtown where you could buy it. A store for coin collectors, another for stamp collectors, a store just for toys, and dime stores. It was simply a matter of walking a block or two and having a brother willing to drag you along.
Saturdays were exciting when Micheal was taking me along, I was still young enough to ride the bus for free, but big enough not to need carrying . Cook’s Music Store was a regular stop. My brother was in charge of the jukebox for CYA, a dance group for Catholic teens. My parents organized a dance every Friday night for kids from the girls school and the boys school to meet and dance. Every teen was welcome, you did not need to be Catholic, just to be good. Mom was on the phone all the time asking parents to chaperone , dad was in charge of the popcorn and other treats and Micheal filled the jukebox with the latest hits.
The bus ride down was full of neighbors heading to town to work or do their shopping. Mr. Swanson, on his way to his shoe store, reminded my brother to put the paper on his porch and to tell mom that shoes were on sale. Mrs. Miller was sorry she's missed her chaperone pledge. Then, the bus was full of neighbors and friends. Aurora was a small town and the downtown was its unofficial meeting place. I cannot remember a time when I wasn't standing in front of some store waiting for mom or dad to finish some conversation. Sometimes they would meet at the dime store and sit at the counter where I'd get a Coke in a real glass. I remember splitting a hamburger with my brother there once, and buying my other brother goldfish and carrying them home in a plastic bag, watching them swim around in that bag while riding the bus home. Neighbors smiled at me holding my bag with the goldfish.
