Soda came in glass bottles. Meat came from the local butcher and tasty cakes were a nickle. The rich bastereds won. We have not had the last word. Yet.

was standing behind my mom at a deli counter in Trenton NJ.

Mom wore striped pastel color shorts. I have no idea why I remember that. It just is.

My dad owned and operated one after coming home from WW2.

The owner was always there and knew what we wanted. (and my folks could always get some Sunday beer and pay for it on Monday)

They had sodas in glass bottles for 35 cents, and penny candy in addition to the necessities. One thing a friend and I liked to do in High School was take sodas to the cloistered sisters whose convent was not far from the little grocery store. I loved putting the sodas in the turnstile opening in the door. I never saw her, but the sister receiving the sodas would clap her hands in delight and say, "God bless you for these treats!" Such a small thing to do to make someone happy. Both places are gone now, but the memories are a delight to my heart!

I would collect the empty bottles and ride there on my bike, using the deposit money to buy comic books. Next door to it was a Victorian house where they sold penny candy displayed in cases and cabinets worthy of a fine jeweler. On the other side was a florist.

Almost all of that was gone by the time I was hitting school age. There was a sense of community because the stores were amongst the houses, not in their own 'special' district.

Different times. I miss that aspect of my youth as well.