Main Street of Days Gone By

theimaginativeconservative.org

The sun rose steadily over main street in the mornings. The air was cool and light. The sky was clear. City workers watered the flowers on the lampposts. An older man sat on a bench and read the newspaper, and a young mother rocked her baby gently. A father held his little girl’s hand, and they walked together. They stopped and she pressed her hands and face against the window of the bookstore. A teddy bear, holding a book, sat in a rocking chair. The owner inside smiled at the girl and waved. She waved back and then looked up at her father. He smiled down at her, and they went inside.

Main street was a two-lane road. Shops lined the sidewalks. A small park was at the southern end and marked the beginning of the downtown area. The road wrapped around the park in a roundabout. The park had a gazebo, fountain, and small war memorial, compliments of the historical society. They sponsored weekly lectures at the library.

The church was at the southern end too. It was across the street from the park. On Saturday mornings, cars pulled into the church parking lot to drop off supplies for the outdoor market. Vendors set up their tables and tents. The first few tents had garden-grown vegetables: corn, tomatoes, lettuce, green beans, carrots, and potatoes. The butcher from the neighboring county was at the end of the row. His pork chops were better than any cut of meat available in the grocery stores.

Main street went on past the market. Facing north, the bakery was on the right and the coffee shop on the left. The bakery made the best cinnamon rolls in the county. They sold out every day. The baker woke up at 3 a.m., God bless him. When someone opened the door, the smell of cinnamon filled the air.

The coffee shop had a line out the door. It was a local favorite. Their days started early as well. 4 a.m., and they were making fresh donuts and bagels to open at 7. The manager knew all the customers and their orders too. Her son was the high-school quarterback and brother-in-law the head football coach. Those were fun years of high school football. Her son moved away, as life happened, but he visited her often. He got married, and his mother was proud of him.

Her brothers owned two bars on main street. They also ran three bars off main street. One used to be a police officer and one a firefighter. They worked hard and gave generously. They were on the clock 24/7, it seemed, but they never missed Mass.

Their father oversaw the funeral home. It was near main street but not on it, technically. He was proud of his children, watching them manage three of main street’s most popular businesses. He had two more children (for a total of five) he loved just as much: one that worked with him and another that was a barber. Their father was one of those men of a different era, a man that struck out swinging. He did not retire. He did not want to, and that was the way it was.

Not far from the coffee shop was the dentist’s office. The receptionist worked there for 40 years. She knew three generations of patients. They adored her, and she adored them. She did not expect to work there for so long, but she had children. Her sons were the greatest thing to ever happen to her. They were honest and loyal men. One of her boys married his high school sweetheart, and the other boy made a name for himself in town.

The diner was at the center of main street. It was great to see the diner busy. It was open for a long time, much longer than the former tenants. The waitresses ground the coffee beans daily, and the difference between fresh-ground coffee and store-bought coffee was night and day. They were great at their jobs, walking out of the kitchen with three or four plates on each arm. Breakfast potatoes served with every dish. The potatoes were crispy. The cook cut them and deep-fried them slightly with a little bit of salt and pepper. They were delicious. He was a great man—well-trained and kind. His wife and daughter stopped by before the morning rush. He hugged them and kissed his daughter on the cheek. She blushed and giggled. He smiled and told her to be good for her mother. She hugged him one more time.

The hardware store was at the north end of main street. The retirees sat in the rocking chairs outside the front door and talked about the world at large. They were smart men and skilled tradesmen. One was a millionaire, but his flannel shirt and faded jeans did not give that impression. These men had hands like leather but hearts like gold because they all had granddaughters.

City Hall was next to the hardware store. The city council was made up of public servants of the old guard, ones that cared about the community. The same can be said for all the employees at city hall. The director of the parks and recreation department revitalized main street. Because of her work, main street hosted outdoor barbeques, classic car shows, Christmas tree lightings, summer concerts, holiday parades, charity events, and artisan craft fairs. She also organized the construction of a new senior center, YMCA, and towpath.

Those were good-hearted folk there. The men shook hands and smiled. The women hugged each other and laughed. Children were safe. Streets were clean. Nothing much changed there. The old passed away, and the young remained. Some left, but most stayed. Main street was a little slice of heaven on earth, if such a thing were possible. Oh yes, the sun shone brightly on main street in those days. It is a shame how much things really did change.

__________

The Imaginative Conservative applies the principle of appreciation to the discussion of culture and politics—we approach dialogue with magnanimity rather than with mere civility. Will you help us remain a refreshing oasis in the increasingly contentious arena of modern discourse? Please consider donating now.

The featured image is “Parkville, Main Street” (1933), by Gale Stockwell, and is in the public domain, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

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Nathaniel Urban is is a development associate at the National Association of Scholars (NAS).

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