Dreams, Memories & Keys

Chapter 12 - The Museum

Greg, Susan and Jessie most uncommonly rode the subway from their home close to Central Park to the traditionally Jewish neighborhood where Norma lived. The place they got off was a block or two from Norma's house. Although they'd walked the route many times, Greg led his family down the street so that they arrived on the opposite side of the street from where Norma lived. There he stopped. Holding Susan's hand, he examined the building, reflecting on the changes to it he could see since this time last year.

One year ago, Greg, Susan and Jessie were just moving out of Norma's house and into their new high-rise residence after living with her for over a month. It took them that long to look for and prepare to move into their New York home. Back then, the store beneath Norma's home was empty and made the building look abandoned, despite the fact that the windows in the stories above the store showed clear signs of occupation and of life. Still, it was that large plate glass window papered over from the inside and looking worn and old which gave that impression.

Now however, although the building still looked old, it looked vintage-old rather than abandoned-old. The difference was, the store on the bottom floor looked vital and alive, as though it stepped forward from the past, looking like it did one-hundred-and-twenty years ago when the building was new. Stone's Grocers the sign in the window read. Then beneath it, in smaller print another sign read, sponsored by The Museum: A Step Back in Time. Crates of plastic fruits and vegetables stood on the walk, in front of the window, adding to the effect that this was a functioning grocer. More could be seen through the window, beckoning passersby inside.

"Shall we go in?" Greg suggested.

"Let's," Susan agreed.

Retracing their steps to the nearest corner, the family crossed the street before making their way back to the store with the grocery display. The crates out in front looked old-fashioned and very authentic, as did the display of goods that would have been offered for sale just inside. The rows of goods which seemed to extend through the front window, were extremely short once you were inside, but the illusion that this was a functioning store was very good.

"Welcome," a docent greeted them just inside the door.

"Hello," Greg told her as he examined the short rows of goods for sale. "Are you actually selling some of these?"

"Just the jams and jellies you see here. I understand they are all made according to heirloom recipes by people who live in the neighborhood," she told them.

Greg bent to examine some of the labels. "So they are," he mildly agreed. He recognized some of them as similar to those Norma and his mother together used to make.

"Norma has managed to sell something after all," Susan remarked in approval.

"Norma?" the docent questioned.

"Norma Gaffney, the lady who lives here," Susan replied.

"Do you know her?" the docent asked.

"We're family," Greg explained. "Norma is my sister-in-law. We were simply curious to see what The Museum has done with the space since taking over the store."

"Well, as you can see, in the front part of this retail space, we've restored Stone's Grocers to its previous glory," the docent told them with and expansive wave of her arm towards the front of the store. "Exhibits documenting the period as it was for this address and this neighborhood at the time can be found opposite each of the displays in the diorama which represent how the store would have been in the 1880s or 1890s, through the 1920s. Change came to the store and the neighborhood during the late 1930s, as captured by this furniture display along the side wall opposite the entrance. Posters found in the store's basement advertise the latest in-home furnishings, available from Roth Furniture."