Sibling Assignment #180: Smelterville, The Wayside Market, and Penny Candy

Sister Carol gave this sibling assignment:

 Neighborhood grocery stores used to be quite common in Kellogg as we were growing up.  Think about the neighborhood grocery stores that used to be in Kellogg, and write about some memories associated with these stores.  Pick only one store to write about, or several.  If you have a photograph of the store, or where it used to be, share a photo as well.

You can read brother Bill's thoughts on another favorite store in our neighborhood here . I remember trying my first ice cream sandwich at Don's Market. I will like sister Carol's when it is complete. 

Today I am stretching my Kellogg boundaries and writing about the Wayside Market in Smelterville, a small town west of Kellogg. Before sister Carol was born Bill and I spent time at a babysitter's house in Smelterville while Mom taught school at Silver King. Our babysitter's name was Margaret Gallaher. 

I think I stayed there all day while brother Bill was in kindergarten in the morning and we also went there a few  times in the evening when Mom's PTA meetings and Dad's bowling night landed on the same day. Kenna and Stu White were often there also. Somehow they were related to Margaret, which made them a step higher on the cool kid ranking. 

There are many fond memories of staying at her house. We loved her dog, her sparkling eyes, her warm smile, and playing outside in the yard with some of the other neighborhood Smelterville kids. The most vivid memory of staying at Margaret's was going to Wayside Market after lunch. I don't know if we did anything to earn the five cents she gave each of us, but all I know is that when she lined us up and put a nickel in each of our hands, it was an invitation to walk across the alley and shop for penny candy at the Wayside Market. By the counter were so many choices of candy. The checker would give us each a small brown bag that we could fill with our five pieces of candy. It was hard to decide whether to have a licorice pipe, wax juice tubes, Bazooka bubble gum, a Tootsie Roll Pop ( even though they cost two cents), Kits, and so much more.

For a four  or five year old, it was a feast. We couldn't wait for the moment when we could go shopping. I don't think it ever occurred to us to get a nickel candy bar. We wanted penny candy. Back to her house we would go and enjoy our afternoon snack. My brother probably had to read the Bazooka comic to me. Soon Mom would be picking us to return home.

This was over fifty-five years ago. Time has marched on, but we have endured. My brother may not still eat penny candy, but he has memories of all kinds of places he enjoyed in Smelterville. Kenna is still my friend. The Wayside Market is still there, Margaret still lives in the same house and is over ninety years old. A while back I saw her shopping at Wal Mart and she still had those sparkling eyes and kind smile. She remembered me. Mom and I both decided we should go visit her. 

Now that I am living back in my hometown I love memories like this that have come full circle. Places are still there, people remember, and I feel a warm glow when strong, happy memories can sustain through our lives. Next time I drive to Smelterville I am going to go inside the Wayside Market and see how much candy costs now. I better bring my debit card.