De'ja' Vu. I had some old flashbacks, some moments of seeing familiar scenes but sensing something missing. This past Saturday night, I was walking the immediate area around the Fox Theater located at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Grand Boulevard in St. Louis, Missouri. I have often walked those streets before but it had been some 54 years when last my wife and I had been afoot in that neighborhood. The occasion to head to the iconic Fabulous Fox, a National Historical Landmark, which was built in 1929 was to attend the musical concert of Gladys Knight and the O'Jays.
Back in the day, (1940's & 1950's) that theater was a special date night destination to see the latest movie. Today, I still have photos of my teenage girlfriend (wife, Gerry) taken by sidewalk photographers as we walked towards the Fox Theater entrance. I also recall the intersection representing the final leg of a three-part journey from my East St. Louis home by city bus to Washington Avenue near the Eads bridge where I caught a St. Louis city bus to Grand Avenue for the last leg by streetcar to old Sportsman Park to root for the Cardinals.
St. Louis like many American cities has suffered the negatives of industrial decline, white flight, shrinking tax base and escalating inner city decay and crime. The proud folks appear to be fighting back to gain yesterday's look and feel.
Oh, the concert? You're kidding? A packed house of nearly 5,000 music lovers were brought to their feet time and again with the powerful yet sweet voice of Gladys Knight and the familiar songs and dance moves of the O'Jays. I thank our son, Steve and daughter-in law, Kathy for taking care of the old folks and allowing us to be young at heart recalling, 'The Way We Were.'
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