Home and The Chatterbox

So here we are, back in Sussex County for the foreseeable future, a.k.a. “The Summer.”

          A few side trips are planned, one to Boston to see my son Donny and his family. One to Maine to visit Brian, Paula’s son, and his family. Over to Vermont to visit Barbara, Paula’s sister. And  a week down the shore in Beach Haven with my sister Kathy and all of her fam, and my daughter Heather and her family. Kathy rents a cool house that was once a B&B with about eleven bedrooms, most with their own bathrooms, so it works really well!

          We’ve been driving all over, dropping in on friends and former co-workers. The reception has been great, it’s nice to know that you’ve been missed!

          One topic that comes up regularly is The Chatterbox.

          “Hey, have you seen the Chatterbox? I mean where the Chatterbox used to be!”

          “Uh, yea, I’ve been there.”

          “Not the same, huh?”

          “Well, no it’s not. It’s not supposed to be the same, we sold it.

          “Yea, but don’t you miss it?

          “Sure I do, I’ve told everyone that the fifteen years that we were there were some of the best in my life! I miss a great Cruise Night or Bike Night, I miss my customers and employees, and I miss all the things that we did for the folks in Sussex County. But I’ll tell you what I don’t miss.”

          “What?”

          “I don’t miss trying to pay the bills in the winter. I don’t miss trying to keep the septic system functioning. I don’t miss the air conditioning system keeping the place at barely 85 degrees on a hot day in the summer, and I don’t miss times like when the well pump gave out on a Fourth of July weekend and I had to have water trucked in, to the tune of $6000.00 just for three days until it got repaired!”

          “Yea, well anyway, I’ll never go to Wawa!

          “What? Are you kidding me?”

          “Yea, they’re the reason the Chatterbox went away! They made you sell it!

          “Made me sell it? Are you daft? Wawa saved my ass! I was able to exit gracefully, pay all of my debts and only lose my original investment from 15 years ago! Wawa is my hero!”

          “Yea, well anyway, I sure do miss it and I’m still pissed at Wawa.”

          “Well, you could have bought it and kept it the same.”

          “What!!!??? Do you think I’m Crazy!!!???”

          I rest my case.

          So, I did visit the sight. It is obviously different, but it is supposed to be different. I think that I’m happier with the building being gone, perfect memories abound in my mind, rather than seeing it being used as a used car lot, furniture store, or any other sort of enterprise.

          Good memories are the perfect vehicle of nostalgia.

          I choose the good memories.