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Monday, Oct. 12, 2009

One more trip on the memory train

OK, I’ll admit I’ve had many more “memories” passed along than space would permit. Calls, letters and e-mails came from as far away as Wisconsin.

Said one loyal reader: “You scratch us where we itch.”

I have tried to get in as many contributions as I could in a span of four columns. Maybe we can do it again another time.

It reminds me of that line from “The Wonder Years,” one of my all-time favorite television shows.

“Memory is a way of holding onto the things you love, the things you are, the things you never want to lose.”

Remember? ...

The Sunshine Dairy on Forsyth Street, where you could get some of the best ice cream cones in town. ... Bob Saggese on WBML radio, the “Wolfman Jack” of Macon in the 1950s and ’60s. His trademark was “down by the old Ocmulgee with your Moon Pie and RC Cola.’’ ...

The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) on First Street, a block from City Hall. ... Bram’s Barber Shop in Ingleside Village. ... Mr. Muecke’s junior cotillion, a rite of passage for many Macon middle schoolers. ...

Mr. Ed’s on Cotton Avenue, “Home of the Whoopee Burger.” ... The Led Zeppelin concert at the Macon Coliseum on April 3, 1970. (Tickets were $6!) ... Head’s Dime Store. ... Wilson’s Pharmacy. ... Krystal hamburgers on Cherry Street. ...

Don King, aka Wild Bill Peacock, and his “Gerbil Derby” races on channel 41. ...

The Saratoga restaurant in the alley between Mulberry and Cherry streets. ... J.C. Penney, when it was on Hillcrest Avenue. ... The “Old Reliable” doormat in front of the ladies shop on Cherry Street that became Goldman’s. ...

Po’ Boys on Montpelier Avenue. ... The “Army-Navy” club. ... The Sugar Bowl on Cotton Avenue. ... The lunchroom at Whittle School. ... Burden Smith department store on Cherry Street. ... When you could ride the city bus to town for a nickel. ...

The service station on Broadway with the mechanical Santa Claus in the window. It made a “Ho! Ho! Ho!” sound and would shake as if it was laughing. ...

Riding the downtown trolley. “Cruising” or “dragging” Cherry Street. ... The “rocking chair” theaters at Westgate. ... The F.W. Woolworth’s on Cherry Street. ...

Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor in the Macon Mall. ... The car hops at Shoney’s. ... Cag’s Restaurant on Forsyth Road. ...Bankston’s Lake off Hartley Bridge Road. ...

The Canary Cottage restaurant on Cotton Avenue. ... The Steak & Egg Supper Club. ... Jones’ Grocery around the corner from Porter Stadium. ... The S&S cafeteria on Cherry Street, where you could hear live piano music on Sunday. ...

Gresham Grammar School, where the marble steps had indentions where so many feet had climbed. ...

The parking lot at the Big Apple grocery store on Second Street, where you could roller skate on Sundays because it was closed. ... The wading pool at Fort Hawkins Elementary. ... When the only business on Zebulon Road was a Waffle House near I-475. ...

Riding down Montpelier Ave and smelling the bread cooking at the Colonial Bakery, and you could also see it on the conveyor belt. ...

Admission to the Bibb Theatre downtown with six Coca-Cola bottle caps and, if you got there early, you could watch the “Pink Panther” cartoon before the movie started. Thanks to everyone who contributed. Don’t ever forget.

Reach Gris at 744-4275 or gris@macon.com