… I truly enjoyed coming down town to the J.L. Hudson Department store. I was a five foot- six inch tall, 120 lb. speck, in what could only be best described as America’s melting pot. This was the place to be if getting lost in the crowd was your cup of tea. It definitely was mine. The Downtown Detroit Days (DDD) being displayed on banners attached to light posts ensured large crowds for me to disappear into. The crowds would make their way to the department stores who offered large discounts on just about everything they sold. Today I would be headed to J.L.Hudson’s bargain basement. It was a store within a store. The employees always seemed so nice, and they went out of their way to help me. I must of had a face of bewilderment because I always seemed to get the attention of some young but very pretty sales women. I found my way to the bargain basement and was immediately approached by a young sales woman.
….She wanted to know how could she be of assistance, and I was immediately dumb struck. She was beautiful. I found myself awestruck but I remembered what I came here for and I informed her I needed tennis shoes. She smiled, and told me I came to the right place because of the Downtown Detroit Days discount I could get a pair of tennis shoes for five dollars. I was really surprised. She pointed to where I needed to go and as I looked in that direction I saw a large circular bin full of Nike tennis shoes. When I turned around to thank her, she was gone, and I was astonished she disappeared that fast. For a minute my curiosity was piqued, I thought I should go see where she went, but I remembered I needed to accomplish what I came for. I still had to catch the bus back to work.
…I picked out 3 pairs off tennis shoes, red, white, and blue. I would save two for work and one pair for the YMCA. I learned to play handball at the young man’s Business Club there, and got to be pretty good at it. On my way to the cashier I found a t-shirt that was not only a celebration of our nations bicentennial but also of Detroit’s 275th anniversary as a city. The French Fleur 1701- Detroit 1976 with the iconic “Spirit of Detroit” 275 years and our American Flag 200 bicentennial emblazoned on the front caught my eye immediately. It too, with the Detroit Discount Days, was only five dollars. I was able to cash out for just $20.00 and .80 cents with tax. Mission accomplished. I had to get back to work with half an hour to go, and was lucky enough to catch the north bound Woodward bus as I exited the department store. I rode the bus back to the medical center for a quarter. Those days are gone but the memories are priceless. My Life’s Journey To Be Continued … Proverbs 30: 1-9, John 1: 1-14
MJ-Way 