For me, some memories still remain magical. I am blessed by the moments in my life, which still resonate richly, and retain the fundamentals that have helped me live my life holding on to hope, holding tightly to love, and helping me to recall horizons from the past which helped me fight forward for horizons of today and tomorrow.
Way back when, in the 1950’s, which at times seems so long ago, and at times seems like just yesterday, Memorial Day Weekend, was an adventure, one that led me to a journey towards the summer ahead. Way back then it seemed to me that my life was eternal. Days lasted more than 24 hours, and tomorrows were always so far away. I was certain that FOREVER, was indeed for ever!
On the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, my father took my little sister and I to the East Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh, and we went to Father and Son’s Shoe Store. My father knew Herman, who managed the store, and Herman, would greet my dad, saying, “Welcome back Benny Buncher, and my how your kids have grown since last summer.” Herman would pat me on the head and hug my little sister. Herman would take out the weird looking metal shoe thingie, in which we would first place our left foot then right foot, measuring our shoe size, and usually say, “your kids feet are growing, that is a good thing.” Then, without hesitation, Herman would go to the back of the shoe store and return with our blue one-inch rubbered soul summer shoes, guaranteed to keep our feet protected all summer. Herman would then touch our toe and say to my father, they have a whole summer to grow,w and these shoes will be perfect! My dad would shake Herman’s hand, and Herman would pat me on the head, hug my sister, give us TOOTSIE Pops, and say see you next year, telling my sister you stay pretty and say to me, you better grow taller! As we left Father and Son Shoe Store, my Dad would say, don’t tell your mother, because it is close to dinner, but we are going to the Big Islay’s Store and getting ice cream, any flavor you want!
On the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend, we headed out to North Park Swimming Pool. It was a County Public Pool, and as I remember way back when, one of the largest swimming pools I EVER had seen. My parents would tell my sister and I that once Memorial Day happened, wham bam swimming pool came to life, and their life lasted until Labor Day. I actually believed that story for a long, long time. When we got to North park Swimming Pool, we met up with a whole bunch of other families whose fathers had been a police man like my dad. On Saturday night, my father took out our grill, placed the first official bag of summer charcoal on the grill flushed it with lighter fluid, instructed my sister and I to stand back, and like lightening had struck our grill a blaze of fire at least 10 feet tall, in reality only a few inches tall erupted, and the Buncher Family was having our OFFICIAL FIRST SUMMER GRILL DINNER of the SUMMER.
On the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, we got ready for our block party. Most of neighbors except for the Schwartz’s and the Appelbaum’s who seemed to hate kids, had their grill out, their lawn hoses ready, and Mr. Rosen had a whole list of relay races for all of us to play. My father, as the Sargent of Police, was able to have the barricades set at the top and bottom of the street, so all of us could safely play in the street. Sunday night, my two sisters and I and my parents set off to the Silver Lake Drive-In and were ready to see some scary movies.
On the Monday of Memorial Day Weekend, my father collected all of the kids on our street, and we walked the neighborhood placing 12” flags on everyone’s front lawn. My Dad, along with many other kids’ Dad’s would remind all of us that it was the courage, and love of country by men and women, some who sacrificed their lives for freedom, that we celebrate Memorial Day. My father would say, we can enjoy this day, because so many people fought for the future. In the afternoon, the lawn hoses were out, swim suits on, and everyone, including parents got wet. That night almost all families had their grills going and summer was officially anointed!
Those were, the days I thought would never end!
