I was born right around the corner of Hastings on Hendrie. Then we moved to Hastings between Hendrie and Palmer
in a huge house that had several bedrooms on the second floor. On the first floor there was a huge front room,
diningroom, and a country kitchen. My mother used the front room for our living quarters.
She rented out the bedrooms upstairs. We had a back yard and a huge front porch that faced the many shops across
the street. These shops sold everything from food to clothes and everything in between was on the first level.
On the second level was a type of dance hall and bar. They had live entertainment, which went on day and night.
As a child of about 4 years, I would sit on the front porch steps, hear the music and memorize the words.
I had no idea of what the words meant, but later I realized they were very bawdy!!!
When my mother rebuked me and told me to stop singing them around the house that burned them in my memory.
I remember one of the worst ones until this day. It began with, "Now don't you feel my
leg...." The other words (which I remember) proceed up the body. (Smile.)
When our circumstances changed we moved
farther south on Hastings between Theodore and Warren and lived with my Aunt. We could walk the streets safely
night and day. We knew all the names of the shopkeepers because they were our friends and/or relatives.
When the shops were closed we went to each other's homes and attended church together.
The Warfield Theater was about two blocks, on Hastings, from my home. My parents knew the owner of the theater,
the ticket seller and ushers. The price was about 5 cents. Every Saturday at noon the neighborhood kids met
and went to the show. They gave us free Cracker Jacks and we stayed about 3 hours! In the same block as my home
was the ice cream parlor. Huge dips for a nickel and huge double dips for a dime.
Very pleasant memories as a child until I was about 6 or 7 living on Hastings Street!!