Eight Year Old ....continued

Thought For The Day

Next on the agenda would be the walk from Kroger’s past Clark’s Drug’s, across the street was a service station, full service, and a little south of that Russell Electric and some other small business’ I cannot remember. To the east and across Michigan Avenue was Schmeck’s Drugs. Later in my young work career I would work there for a short time. To the south and on the east side of Michigan was the North Side Café, affectionately called, Charlie’s Café by the regulars. Next to that was my dad’s shoe repair shop. I would check the door to make certain it was locked. I think even then I knew what I was doing was not something that would have been allowed if I had asked permission and so attempted to justify my activities by responsible behavior of a sort. Then I would go back to Michigan Ave and head east toward the River and  downtown.

There was not anything terribly noteworthy, to me at least, between Michigan Ave and the Bridge with the possible exception of a bakery, a commercial bakery called Case’s I think. The smells coming from those sacred cloisters made me very, very hungry. I never was able to figure a way to get hot bread, a troubling failure in my early growth. It was about the equivalent of six blocks to the bridge and over into the downtown.
A bridge at night is a wonderful, mystical thing. There are sounds and shadows that excite and frighten anyone. If you are eight, there are evil, venomous creatures lurking in the depths waiting for you to lose your way, stop paying attention and become an easy target for capture. Sound on water travels far and loud with a strange clarity  that pronounces mystery and intrigue with perfect diction. So there I would stand, gazing into the shadows, listening for any recognizable sounds and watching furtively for any quick motions in my peripheral vision. It was then that I became Bobby Benson, or Clipper, Sky King’s nephew ready for action, quick wits and action. When I remained unchallenged by bad guys and monsters I moved on but knew that on the return trip they could be waiting. I would be ready for them with Rusty at the ready we could handle any situation.
Down into the town where there were buildings to be seen. I would look in the windows and fantasize being able to wear the amazing clothes on the plaster mannequins. I’d walk by the Bancroft Hotel and down past the Temple theater and by that time would begin to feel a bit tired and ready to turn back toward home. I don’t know how many times I made these trips but it was a very frequent activity. What still surprises me is that I was never even seen by a policeman or if I was he was unimpressed with my adventure and said nothing to me. If the bridge seemed ominous to me on the way back I would walk to it and then run as fast as I could manage until I was on the other side. I knew with my superior speed and dog like Rusty that no one would dare confront me.
Back at home I would slide under the covers and wish that Rusty could have stayed in my room with me but that was not to be and so off to sleep until the next sleepless night and a new adventure.
The other thing that happened during that time frame will take a little too long to cover today so I'll tell you about it tomorrow.

To be continued.............

©Herb Ratliff, February 16, 2012, All Rights Reserved