Nostalgic night ramblings

After spending a couple hours in Crestwood this evening with a KHS65 alum who shall remain nameless, I drove home about 11:30pm on this beautiful clear, cool night. Downtown Kirkwood was pretty much deserted and the lights were nearly all green all the way from Watson Road to Manchester. Couldn't help but notice how much has changed but my mind seemed to see it all with old eyes. Spencers is still the same, Nipher has an addition closer to the road. Manor Grove Nursing Home, the old Kirkwood Old Folks' Home, where my former mother in law lived and died, has had an addition; passed by the corner where the Clark station was, where Sue Hoch & I used to grab a quick smoke before school, then the site of the old Pfitzinger's, the show, the block that used to be brick houses where Ronnie Reed's sister lived & held his b'day party; the Magic House is now HUGE, and as I passed by the site where the Kirkwood Hotel was I couldn't help but notice the fact that the new modern building taking up most of that block sits close to the sidewalk and road, just like the old hotel did. Remember those old geezers who used to stand around outside? So much has changed, yet if you use the right night vision goggles you will still see Katz Drug, the bank where I had my first savings account, Kirkwood Pres where we had Girl Scout Sunday services. Then the house where Cyril Clemens lived - remember his walking down the sidewalk with his white beard? Of course turning left to come west right at Parkmoor is always a memory-trigger - boyz and their carz. Claychester Cleaners where we took our dry cleaning, and never could figure out why it was named for our street? Then the corner where Bopp intersects Manchester, nothing like it used to be. Remember the Gulf Station? For awhile they had a special offer, stainless cutlery for a reduced price with purchase. I had that cutlery for many years! I passed by so many places - streets where our classmates lived, streets where I lived. North Kirkwood Jr. High, the Chemistry teacher Mr. Adams' street where Jane Via and I teepeed and thought we weren't caught, until a few days later when Mr. A played a home movie for us in class....a movie of me and Jane tossing the rolls!!! We were mortified! Then north on Ballas Road past Squire Korum's house, and the home of relatives of close family friends, then the street on which lived the true love of my life, then the recently-shuttered Shell gas station at Ballas and Clayton Roads where my friend took me when I was about 19 to pick up a credit card application, my first, then west on Clayton past more streets of friends. That brought to mind how much of my life has been spent on or near Clayton Road, even more so as I passed the nursing home where several of my friends have lived and died. Spent some time thinking about Route 66 because Manchester Road is part of the old 66 Byway. Past the old Flaming Pit restaurant on Manchester where we ate dinner after graduation and before THE party, which was before the swim party, much of which I don't remember due to the bottle of champagne that my date and love of the time opened for me as we drove in his convertible MG to Cool Dell.

I frequently come home from Kirkwood at night up Kirkwood Road to Manchester then Ballas then Clayton but for some reason tonight the nostalgia bits seemed foremost in my mind. Hardly another car on the road all the way home until, closer to home, I passed the high school from where my kids graduated, past the road to my home in Manchester of 12+ years, and into my driveway where the light was on, and the first moth of the season was fiercely clinging to the white garage door. It must be spring, the trees are abloom, forsythia gorgeous and the tulips under our mailbox stand are in full color...and then there's a solitary moth! Some things never change. And thinking of Clayton Road and Lindbergh, the way I sometimes come home rather than the detour over Ballas, reminds me that I recently had a BIG BEVO at Schneithorst's...I only recently realized they STILL serve them. The sauce is as good, but not enuf of it - I plan to speak to the chef on my next visit, he's probably young so needs a refresher course in Big Bevo-making.

OLD FRIENDS COME BACK IN SPADES

When we were in grade school my family went for a visit, Thanksgiving I believe, to my paternal grandparents' home in Westfield, NJ. While there I went to school with the girl who lived across the street. She and I had become pals during our visits. I had a great time and was surprised how well I was welcomed. Anyway, in more recent times I was looking to reconnect with Carolyn, that friend, while I was working on my grandfather's diary transcription because her family is mentioned therein often. In the process I googled around and found Nancy who is the reunion/alumni guru of their 1965 graduating class (and found Carolyn) and now Nancy and I correspond on reunion topics. Today she sent me the following message which I'd like to share to illustrate what a great thing can happen when we just start looking for someone! We never know what influence we might have on someone else's efforts. Thanks Nancy for sharing. I've learned from Nancy too! And of course, I appreciate her kind words. I am guilty of getting busy and NOT updating often enough, I'm behind right now back to OCTOBER news! But I do try to keep it current. I promise to try to be better - one of my favorite KHS65 members mentioned just last night that I'm not posting very often, MY bad!

Hi Leslie,     It's Nancy here from Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School in Scotch Plains, NJ wishing to THANK YOU for printing these 'Oldies AND Goodies' memories!  Made me laugh to see my name on your website!   Funsie!!!    Well, I'm finally 'catching up' to your way of thinking by eliminating individually e-mailing 420 Classmates (in 8 groups) every time there's "New News" to share with a SPFHS '65 WEBSITE!!!  When I got my FIRST computer 4 years ago (Love that Apple) and knew NOTHING, it only occurred to me to "bring the news to the classmates" as I didn't think they would go to a website to see or read it, and, now I see, the time has come...to "bring the classmates to the website"!    Any ideas on website creation that allow lots of flexibility - free or otherwise?  Who designed yours?   It's MAGNIFICENT the way you constantly update everything and post the dates and times and slideshows! Quite organized and impressive!!!   A GREAT memento for future generations! I'm now up for the challenge!!!   Bring it on!!!    THANKS soooo much for your 'everything', Leslie! Luv, Nancy