MEMORY -
When we lived in Chicago, Mom, Dad and Peter would take me to Marshall Fields and shop for the holidays. It was a tradition for us to go eat at the Walnut Room and leave with a bag full of Frango Mints. They would reminisce about the mints and Walnut Room for years after we made our final move to Florida. Just a few of the many things they missed about Chicago.
June 21, 2008, the family was on a "Blast From the Past" vacation to Chicago. Pete was quite upset that Macys took over Marshall Fields, but was relieved that they kept the tradition of the Walnut Room and Frango Mints. The walk thru the mall worked up an appetite, so we decided to stop at the Walnut Room to grab a lite snack. They sat us at a large wooden table and immediately took our orders. We each ordered a coffee and tried their Frango Pie. The coffee complimented the pie very well, I remember that clearly. The waitress (Frances) had been there since the original opening of Marshall Fields. We enjoyed our goodies while Pete weighed out the pros and cons with Frances about the change in ownership and new management of the mall.
Pete, I remember, had a difficult time dealing with the switch. With corporate change, comes new management and new "energy". Macy's was not nearly as warm and friendly as Marshall Fields and it really bothered him. Change is hard, but easier when somethings from the past are left behind. By sitting in the Walnut Room and eating Frango Mints, Pete was able to momentarily enjoy a time from the past within the present moment.
APPLICATION -
While looking through Uncle Peter's camera bag, I came across the receipt from June 21, 2008 at the Walnut Room! I am surprised Pete even gave his money to Macys! He must have really loved those damn mints!
REFLECTION -
The older we get, the harder it is to watch change occur. While everything about us grows older, we do all we can to preserve the memories of a youthful past. We store those memories in such a personal place, that when they change ...... well ..... we take it personally! As much as Pete verbalized his disappointment, I can tell he was thrilled that Macys kept some originality to the building. So thrilled, he picked up our tab and bought us 31 dollars of edible memories, that will never be forgotten.
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