Like all of us, Pip has aged over the years, both physically and mentally. I introduced myself and assured him that I was a native Allentonian. He looked at me in distress and asked,
Where the hell am I?
I explained to him that he was at the former location of Hess's, brought here by the new out of town building owners. He had walked down Hamilton Street earlier, and recognized very little. Like all of us his age, not seeing anything familiar can be disconcerting. When he introduced himself, nobody on the street had ever heard of him. He explained that perhaps when they were little, their mothers brought them to the Hess's window to watch his show? Nobody he met was born in Allentown, or even knew what Hess's was... He thought perhaps he was going crazy. He looked at me with his scared old mouse eyes, and asked,
Why did these new owners come to the retirement home to take me out to this? Do they hate me, I had such fond memories of Allentown.
I explained that they're just desperately trying to compete with the NIZ. He said that it was all too much for him to understand, and if I would kindly drive him back to Mouse Haven Manor?
I have tons memories of Jesse's Patio! The strawberries were magnificent! Large and perfect! I watched the woman "hulling" them. It seemed to be a full time job.
ReplyDeleteMax Hess was a master of marketing, his patio restaurant was a destination in itself. His workers actually knew something about the products they sold. Those days are gone forever.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting that no one will ever do a real, honest analysis of what has happened to Americas cities. The answers would likely be too politically incorrect.