Childhood Memories Visiting the Old Neighborhood

The other day I went to go and visit a childhood friend. She lives in the neighborhood that we grew up in, or she grew up in and I lived in until I was eight years old. It is also the same place where another of
my childhood friends lived. However, unfortunately this friend passed
away a couple of years ago.

As I drove through my town from childhood, I recalled a variety of
memories. When I first got into the city, I saw the bakery that I
remember fondly from childhood. I remember going there with my parents
and watching the bakery workers decorate the cakes through a window in
the bakery. And of course I remember the yummy sugar cookies that always
called my name during a visit there. As I passed by other spots along
the way, I recalled times that I would come to visit after we moved
away. Times from the 3rd grade to high school, like going to get pizza
at local pizza place during the summer, visiting my friends for
birthdays, NKOTB concerts or just for a weekend visit. I passed by my
old elementary school and remembered some memories of school and times
in the old neighborhood with my sisters, their friends and my friends. I
was a little disappointed that I could not remember more details of
those childhood years. I never want to forget the childhood memories of
living there and visiting there while growing up. It is so surreal
passing by certain spots that haven’t changed much and others that have
changed tremendously. Each familiar spot holds a special memory that is
invisible/unknown to everyone else. In some respect it’s like the time
that has passed has hidden my memories so far that it seems unlikely
they ever occurred. No one knows when I look at that certain house I
remember helping my friend deliver newspapers. These things I hold onto
dearly, wishing that they would come to life again and take me back into
time.

While visiting my friend, we decided to take a walk through the old
neighborhood and visit the park we played at as kids. We had fun
reminiscing about the teachers we had in grade school and things we did
in school. As we passed by one house, it was the Avon lady’s home when
we were kids. Seeing that house reminded me of the time Angela and I
visited the Avon lady and we took a variety of lipstick samples she
offered us. When we got back to Angela’s house, her mom was outraged
about us taking way too many samples and made us go back to the Avon
lady’s house to return our samples. We also recalled our friend, Diane
who passed away. We remember going to visit her and photos that we have
of her.

We had fun playing at the park, but unfortunately the playground
equipment is not the same as it was when were young. There used to be a
cool log house you could play inside that was one of my favorites. We
took some Project Lionel pics and enjoyed our evening visit to the park. After we
visited the park we took a walk to the street I lived on and walked past
the house where I lived and the house where Diane’s family lived. Her
parents still live in that house and Angela and her dad still live in
the same house. It is awesome to have two families I knew since
childhood live in the same neighborhood I lived in as a child. Most of
the other friends and neighbors have long since moved away, so I guess
in a way it’s like a sense of security knowing there are still familiar
people living in the old neighborhood. With everything around me
changing it’s nice to know some things are still the same.