Down At Papa Joe's (A Dangling Conversation)

"That's the thing about this city. You either love it or hate it."

"So which direction are you leaning?"

"Kind of depends on which part of my life you are talking about."

"Papa Joe. How about two more beers."

"Right away, gentlemen."

"Suppose you might as well start when you moved here since you already told me you were born in another state."

"As I recall it was my second grade year. Having lived in the country where nothing exciting ever happened it was quite a change, especially for a seven year old."

"Can you remember the first thing about this ity that you were impressed with?"

"I would have to say the shopping centers. I mean it was a totally impressive place for a youngster who was used to going to Mac's Mercantile. Don't get me wrong though. I always loved going to Mac's. He was a friendly old coot who made sure I had a piece of candy before we left his store. But the shopping center had a specific store for almost anything. Of course the toy store was my favorite."

"Of course. What was your neighborhood like that is if you remember."

"The old neighborhood? Of course I remember. Our house was maybe eight blocks from the shopping center and my new school was at the end of our street. No more waiting for the school bus. I could walk.

"There were other kids. I quickly made friends and was no longer playing by myself. There was no more bouncing the baseball off the barn wall or tossing it into the air to myself. On weekends I would walk to the school and there would be enough kids there with their gloves we could have a pick-up game. Then, of course, I soon discovered Little League."

"I'm empty. You need another?"

"Sure, Why not."

"Joe?"

"Two more coming right up."

"So you discovered Little League. Anything else in this city to impress a seven year old?"

"In front of the shopping center was a hamburger place I think was called The Golden Point. Kind of like a pre McDonalds. There was nothing like that in the country. Ane there was a Pizza Inn. Had never had pizza in the country. Oh, and best of all, an A & W Root Beer place. Girls on roller skates would come and take your order. Then bring it to you on a tray that hooked onto an open car window. It was awesome and that was several years before I really discovered girls."

"Anything ever make you wish you had never left the country."

"Nothing. I now had plenty of friends. We had things to do. Once my homework was done mom would send me out to play telling me just be sure to be home in time for dinner.

"When my first summer her arrived, of course there was baseball. But when there were no games or practice I would be at the neighborhood swimming pool. Nothing like that in the counry. It was a lot more fun actually swimming than just wading in a creek."

"Many seven year olds still believe in the monster in the closet or under the bed. And in the country I am sure there were wild animals for you to avoid. Anything in the city frighten you back then?"

"Really, I cannot think of anything. Oh yeah, fire. One of my friends lived about four houses away. One night his house caught fire. Seemed to have been an issue with the stove in the kitchen. So for the longest time I could not go to sleep until mom assured me that our stove was off."

"That could frighten anyone. Any other tramatic events?"

"Sort of. There was a small airport about three miles away. Only small planes. My second summer here they had an open house one weekend. Free food and free plane rides. Got to see our neighborhood from the air. This got me interested in flying even though the very next people to ride in that same plane crashed into a house across the street. Nobody was hurt but it was kind of frightening knowing that we had just been up in that very plane."

"Wow! If that had been me at that age, I probably would have never gotton on a plane again."

"How about a bathroom break. Those beers seemed to go through me faster than my morning coffee."

"Sure. Joe? Keep our spots for us. We sill be right back."

When we returned, not only was our spot still there but two frest beers were waiting for us as well.

My friend looked at Joe questioningly.

"Those two are on the house."

We sat back down.

"So when and/or what caused you to swing toward hating this city?"

"Everything was still pretty great until after I graduated high school. Viet Nam was going strong and as yet I had no plans for my future. So I decided to join the Army."

"Okay. Thank you for your service."

"It was an honor. Fort Knox, Fort Benning, Fourt Bagg and four tours in Nam for my eight years. Anyway, while I was away the city seemed to take a turn for the worse. My old neighborhood became so unsafe, just locking the doors at night was not enough. So my folks decided to move farther towards the edge of town. They were only in their new huse six months and the city decided to widen their street and took half of their front yard. The little airport was shut down. A big new closed in Mall was build and the little neighborhood shopping center lost half of it's stores to this new Mall. So when I returned it was like a whole different city and I hated it. I still do."

"So what keeps you here?"

"Mom and Dad are getting up in years and their health is getting worse and they needed someone to keep an eye on them and to help out when needed."

"That is commendable as well. But hating this city just for changing? Sounds to me like growing pains. And they eventually go away."

"It had all weemed so friendly growing up. Now you don't even know your neighbor. Kids are bussed to the neighborhood schools from who knows where. Once a week there seems to be some sort of trouble at the old high school. And they can't leave the yard to play for fear some stranger will grab them. Swimming pools are shutting down for safety concerns. Mom and Dad used to take a walk around their little block every afternoon but they are afraid to now. Driving through the old neighborhood where we first moved, one in five lawns is unmowed or littered with trash. Junk cars are in driveways or out on the street. Streets are full of potholes totally unkept."

"Are there any places at all in the city you still enjoy visiting?"

"Have to say no. The little league complex got rebuilt out of the city. The few parks the city had have all but disappeared. Nobody from the old neighborhood or even high school is around anymore. No, not that. They all seemed to find a way to get out of the city. The once pristine river that runs through the city now seems to collect trash.....you keep looking at your watch."

"I have to pick my kids up from school."

"You don't want to hear any more?"

"No. But just so you know. I am a lifelong Cub fan that had to get out of Chicago to escape all the violence. And I love your city. So much more peaceful.....every kind of restaurant you might possible want to eat at. So I guess you are right. You either love it or hate it. That's the thing about this city."