While growing up in Wallins, I had more than enough activities to keep me occupied. But occasionally I looked forward to trips to Harlan as a change of pace. Even though, as I now realize, Harlan was a small town, it seemed to me to be a place much more sophisticated than what I was used to. Harlan was large enough to have the things that I could only dream about. For instance, I was always very envious of their Little League Baseball. I always dreamed of playing in this league. Wallins boys were not allowed to participate, however. As I recall, Loyall kids could participate. That doesn't seem fair does it? I used to go to the baseball park to watch the games. I could only dream of what it would be like to play Little League. We did have pick-up teams in Wallins, but nothing like an organized league.
Another thing that I could only dream about was the city swimming pool. I got to swim there a few times. I usually couldn't afford the price of admission. I remember getting to go to a couple of swim parties at night. These were parties where the pool was rented out. I don't remember what the occasion was, but only that I had a fun time.
One of the first places that I would go when I was in Harlan, if I had enough money in my pocket, would be the pastry shop. It was located just up the street from Sam Pete and Grace Killgore's store. Their store was next door to Belk's. Can't remember what the street name was, but I'm sure most of you know where I mean. As I said, if I could find the money, I would get a cream puff or a cream horn. Talk about heaven. A Wallins boy only could dream of such delicacies.
I spent a lot of time just walking the streets and going in and out of the stores. I usually had no money to spend. So I just experienced the sights, sounds and smells associated with commerce as I made my rounds. There were always visits to the Lee and Howard Drug Stores. I loved to check out the merchandise in the glass cases. They each had a counter and soda fountain. I would have a cherry coke if I could manage the required change.
There was Newberry's five and dime. I would check out all the toys and other things that I could only dream about. I loved to smell the hot cashews and other nuts. What a tantalizing sight and smell. The nuts were in bins under a hot light. The clerk would scoop out the nuts into a small bag by the weight you specified. If you could get fifty cents worth, you had a nice sized bag. Unfortunately, fifty cents was a lot of money. I seldom had resources that would even approach that figure.
The Belk and the Powers and Horton stores always got a walk through. It was usually to check out the clothes and shoes on display. It was also a good place to run into someone you knew. This might result in a ride back home when my trip was finished. If I found someone going back to Wallins, they usually told me when and where to meet them. I could then continue my exploration of the town.
Sometimes when I was in Harlan, it was for official business. This was when mom sent me for something. This could be to get medicine at the drug store or maybe clothes that couldn't be found elsewhere. It was also home to two dentist offices. One of the dentists was Mayhall and the other was Smith if I remember correctly. Unfortunately for me they both graduated from the "Pull-em-all and let God sort-em out" school. If I would have tarried in Harlan County for very long after high school, I would have been putting my teeth in a glass of water each night. In those days the accepted practice seemed to be pull rather than fill. I did manage to escape with a few teeth left. I have been very protective of these ever since. Another thing Wallins didn't have was fluoride in the water. The only thing we had in the water was sulfur. Somehow I don't believe this helped to secure healthy teeth and gums.
The pool hall or the theatre didn't hold any allure for me as I had these at home. I was only in the pool hall a time or two without even shooting a game. I can only remember going to the Margie Grand Theatre one time. That was to see "The Ten Commandments". You remember these, the ones that Charlton Heston, aka Moses, brought down from the mountain. These are the same ones that they are currently fighting in court for the right to display in Harlan County schools. My oh my, I never thought I would see the day that God's name could not even be whispered in school. It's fashionably called separation of church and state. What a lie from the pit of hell. (My opinion).
I'm sure that the Harlan bypass has changed the town chemistry. It is for all practical purposes a dead town. The life has been sucked out of the downtown business district as it has in town after town. The business has now moved out to the outskirts and is centered in the large Wal-Mart store. Wal-Marts have been the kiss of death to small business owners who can't compete with their prices or their one stop shopping. I'm sure that we all are less fortunate for it. We have lost the local flavor and down-home atmosphere. I'm sad to say, that our kids today will not have the experiences that we did. We worship now at the altar of progress. Never mind what it has done to our way of life.
