Enchantment in a 5 and 10-Cent Store

The other night as my mind was wandering, at perhaps 3:00 AM, I had a lovely encounter with the past. I was remembering some wanderings of late childhood. I was about ten or eleven and the magic journey was a bus that took me downtown Bridgeport.

The first part of the magic journey was just waiting for the bus all by myself. I felt very grown-up and by today's standards I was! I would lock the house, put my key on a string around my neck, hide it, and walk the two blocks to wait by the telephone pole for the bus. When the public bus came I got on, said "Hello" to the driver--who I recognized from lots of trips--paid and sat down. I always sat up front, liking to be near him, just in case I needed help. Then I would read. Usually I had a great book with me, maybe Little House on the Prairie or Nancy Drew. Whatever it was, time flew and before I knew it, I was stepping off the bus on Main Street.

The downtown streets of Bridgeport seemed so busy and crowded! I was not afraid though. I knew my destination. Inside of my pocket I clutched my few dollars and made straight for my enchanted castle. There it was--the 5 and 10-cent store in all of its glory! A perfect palace! I had a wonderful food counter with stools that swirled around if I was hungry. I could just hop up and order anything I wanted--an ice cream soda or a hamburger. I had a bathroom so I didn't need to feel desperate, and I had this whole glorious store to walk around. The endless aisles with the glass counters just full of items to touch and dream about! There was a make-up aisle and I could imagine ahead a few years. I loved to look at the colors of make-up and especially the lipsticks. How would I look all dolled up--beautiful, yes? Then there was the pocketbook and wallet aisle. That was fun, and the candy aisle and even house-wares was interesting.

But the best aisle, and my purpose in this exploration of enchantment, was to the fabric aisle. Oh, the bolts of fabric were so wonderful. If only I had a ton of money and a real grown-up sewing machine I could make such wonderful clothes. I would design them myself and everyone would love them, but I had only a couple of dollars and just a tiny hand cranked sewing machine. Still I was in paradise. "I will take a quarter of a yard of this soft velvet-maroon and a yard of this lace trim, please. And may I have 1 quarter of a yard of this soft fake white fur? Oh, I am so excited." A very nice lady put them all into a paper bag. I told her I was making a new winter outfit for my doll. She even threw in a package of buttons for trim. I was so lucky!

Sadly, my money was almost gone and the bus was coming. I left my enchanted castle of 5 and 10-cent wonders. I felt so enriched inside--another successful journey into the big world and a package of wonders to further play with when I got home. Life was good and I now looked forward to a few more pages of Nancy Drew on the way home!