There is a line in the song, "Precious Memories" that goes like this: "Precious father loving mother fly across the lonely years, to old home scenes of my childhood; precious memories appear."
Once in awhile in my personal mid-night hours when sleep is elusive, I will listen to that CD in my office. I close my eyes and allow a flood of those scared memories to float across my mind's eye. The collage of places and faces endlessly connect to recall moments seared forever in my head.
You know, those East St. Louis memories embrace Caseyville Avenue & Kingshighway where my mother's people located. My childhood home at Rosemont and Kingshighway. Of course, there is lower Washington Park where my family attend Grace Methodist Church on Forest Boulevard.
Back then on 56th Street a visitor would find several Roustio families. Special recall of 40th & Waverly connected early teen social,activities and at 10th & Ohio stood proud East Side High. Hail to the Orange & Blue! Joneses Park offered summer swimming, lagoon boat rides and lover's lane walks. Those baseball diamonds were my second home for ten years. And then there's 43rd street where my girlfriend of seven years lived...she is now my wife of 57-years...do you THINK I just might have a 'precious memory or two"'fly across the lonely years?
Occasionally, I try to sneak into my hometown of East St. Louis to visit old neighborhoods but with each passing year that pilgrimage becomes more problematic. Many of those streets in Washington Park and Rosemont find locals displaying unwelcome body language and stares towards this old grey-headed white guy. I must admit that those moments often anger me but I know better than to take it personally...I just wish some of those locals knew that my story is anchored in 'our streets."
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