tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333594380363882958.post5829312590958730874..comments2023-08-28T03:19:34.617-07:00Comments on It's Nelly's World: A PaeanMelissa Holbrook Piersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15617752678155038816noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333594380363882958.post-31372281339754984362008-12-20T15:38:00.000-08:002008-12-20T15:38:00.000-08:00They were magic. I can still hear the woosh of the...They were magic. I can still hear the woosh of the fountains, smell the water, see the pennies, and was dazzled by that aqua blue.<BR/><BR/>My mother, a sometimes lonely suburban wife of three children, would often take us there to stroll as children, especially in winter months when parks were bleak. I don't remember mass consumption but just taking it all in. Downtown stores were trickling away then and I have a vague memory of Christmas windows at O'Neils or Polsky's downtown (but just one).<BR/><BR/>Of course, on my last visit to Summit Mall, those fountains had long been replaced and were probably deemed hazardous. But I loved them.<BR/><BR/>Melissa, of COURSE you wrote a poem about them! We probably even passed each other in the mall a few times... <BR/><BR/>I hope you have a lovely holiday with your son, Nelly, friends and family. And thanks for your nice words about Lucy--a soul dog, yup, that was her.<BR/><BR/>CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11361090241108323002noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333594380363882958.post-91888965874202043652008-12-20T07:34:00.000-08:002008-12-20T07:34:00.000-08:00You know what? Once upon a time I wrote a poem ti...You know what? Once upon a time I wrote a poem titled "Summit Mall"--my widowed grandmother, lonely as hell (now I see it; too late, of course) used to take the bus there and wander. In the poem I have a line about those fountains: there was something about them, eh? Just like "Rudolph," and those other childhood memories we put into the velvet-lined box of our hearts to keep forever.<BR/><BR/>I hope you, and all those I love, have warm, happy, serene holidays. Spread it around to all.Melissa Holbrook Piersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15617752678155038816noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8333594380363882958.post-26020599969700873882008-12-20T05:23:00.000-08:002008-12-20T05:23:00.000-08:00So classic and retro and immortal at the same time...So classic and retro and immortal at the same time. Each of our children has embraced this holiday classic as their own tradition, too.<BR/><BR/>One of my vivid Christmas memories in Akron was being at Summit Mall with my baby brothers, mother and neighbor friends. We cruised around Woolworth's, were captivated by those fountains and holiday decor (weren't those aqua blue fountains, with their penny-lined wishes, transporting?), and went to that (probably awful) buffet right next to Woolworth's. Well, Carolyn, my neighbor friend got sick. Home we all went but I was glad because I didn't want to miss Rudolf! And we didn't. I'm guessing this was 1967-68. It may have even been only the first or second time I saw the show.<BR/><BR/>Have a blessed Christmas and holiday,<BR/><BR/>CatherineCatherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11361090241108323002noreply@blogger.com