Life DEFINITELY Goes On...
Over the weekend I decided to go back to my old stompin grounds and take a few pictures of the home I'd lived in till I was 11 - hard to believe that was actually 39 years ago! My memories were of a great big house, with big rooms, a front porch that stretched all the way across the front of the house, two great big chinaberry trees and a huge backyard. Back a little over a year ago I'd driven by the house and was surprised at how "small" it actually was - it had seemed so much bigger when I was a kid!
I drove down the main street of town, made a right turn then started looking for Dakota street. Somehow I ended up missing it, so I drove down to the next steet, made a right turn and drove a block to make another right turn which would bring me back to Dakota street. Unfortunately, this street was blocked off (which was a little strange, but they'd been doing street changes over the years) So I tried a different route.
I drove around for about 5 minutes - something wasn't right, and I was really starting to get confused - the streets had been changed and for the first time in my life, I was lost in my own hometown!!! I drove around trying to get my bearings for a couple more minutes - then it hit me... And when I say it "Hit Me" - I mean it REALLY hit me. My old home was gone... But more than that - the entire STREET was gone!!!
I couldn't believe what had happened. It took a few minutes to put it all together - a total of four city blocks were missing - two streets - a total of about 80 homes. They'd all been leveled and replaced - by a baseball field!!! I sat there in my car with my jaw hanging down to my waist - I was in total shock - I'd been here less than a year and a half ago and there had been an entire neighborhood here - what happened? where did everybody go?
I'll be the first to admit that these houses had been falling apart for years, but when you've lived somewhere, been part of the neighborhood and came back to find everything wiped away, the families, the good times, the memories - it's a bit of a shock!
I don't resent what happened, but I wish I'd had the chance to get a few pictures - maybe walk through the old house one last time before they tore it down. I've got memories that I'll never forget - but sometimes - it's hard to accept that life goes on...
Life Definitely Goes On...
Later,
Dennis
I drove down the main street of town, made a right turn then started looking for Dakota street. Somehow I ended up missing it, so I drove down to the next steet, made a right turn and drove a block to make another right turn which would bring me back to Dakota street. Unfortunately, this street was blocked off (which was a little strange, but they'd been doing street changes over the years) So I tried a different route.
I drove around for about 5 minutes - something wasn't right, and I was really starting to get confused - the streets had been changed and for the first time in my life, I was lost in my own hometown!!! I drove around trying to get my bearings for a couple more minutes - then it hit me... And when I say it "Hit Me" - I mean it REALLY hit me. My old home was gone... But more than that - the entire STREET was gone!!!
I couldn't believe what had happened. It took a few minutes to put it all together - a total of four city blocks were missing - two streets - a total of about 80 homes. They'd all been leveled and replaced - by a baseball field!!! I sat there in my car with my jaw hanging down to my waist - I was in total shock - I'd been here less than a year and a half ago and there had been an entire neighborhood here - what happened? where did everybody go?
I'll be the first to admit that these houses had been falling apart for years, but when you've lived somewhere, been part of the neighborhood and came back to find everything wiped away, the families, the good times, the memories - it's a bit of a shock!
I don't resent what happened, but I wish I'd had the chance to get a few pictures - maybe walk through the old house one last time before they tore it down. I've got memories that I'll never forget - but sometimes - it's hard to accept that life goes on...
Life Definitely Goes On...
Later,
Dennis
posted by Dennis at
8:33 PM
1 Comments:
It's funny how hometowns change. I like to go back from time to time and see how my hometown has changed. Just remembering stories, where people used to live, where you went to school, etc. is a thought provoking experience. I try to remember everything I can so I can go back to that same place.
And they have torn down some stuff...built a lot of stores, etc.
By
Letters Never Sent, at 8:42 PM
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