HAPPY EASTER

Pardon my reminiscing. Hope you enjoy my memories.

When I was young, my mom and I spent days and hours finding the perfect 'Easter outfits' . We would go to all the local stores, and then downtown to the big stores like The Hub, Hecht Co. and Macy's. I mean the BIG stores - the kind you see in the old movies.

I loved to ride the escalator, rising above the crowds, looking down on the huge chandeliers. Sometimes we rode the elevator. The operator would call out the floors, "Mezzanine - Please watch your step". At one store there were New York Cosmeticians dressed like models in suits with hats and gloves. They were sooo beautiful. They smiled at me. One put a dab of perfume on my wrist. I felt like a model too.

Later we would go to the Chinese restaurant for lunch. Mom knew the owners so we never had to order, they would fix us the same as they were having. I learned to use chopsticks. It was my favorite place to eat. After I finished my Almond cookie we would go to all the shoe stores. One year I wanted gold shoes to match the gold stars in my new dress. We walked all over downtown until we found them.

By that time it was late afternoon. We made our last stop Woolworth's. Just inside the front door they had a nickel doughnut machine. I'd put in my nickle and watch the machine create a round piece of dough, punch a hole in the center, flip it into the hot grease, reach in and flip it over and then drop it into the slot... AND 'OUT CAME MY DOUGHNUT'. Now - that's what I called exciting!

We stepped back outside and ate our special treat while we waited for the bus. I was so tired...I don't remember the ride; but soon we were home unwrapping our new clothes.

Easter morning we went to church, then we all went walking in town. When we were in New York, they called it the "Easter Parade". With all the brightly colored hats and outfits passing by, it was like walking through a field of flowers. Everyone was smiling and greeting each other. There were camera men taking pictures for the newspaper. No one judged the outfits - instead, we enjoyed and appreciated them. We were celebrating the coming of Spring (and in our case, the Resurrection of Jesus).

I realize I was young and naive, but Easter sure seemed different... and happier.

Thanks Dad for working hard so I could have such special outfits. Thanks Mom for riding buses, walking all day, and continuing to smile while we found the perfect ones.