Memories and the mind

Amongst some old cookbooks Grandma gave me the other day was a small envelope with my name on it. Inside was a newspaper article with photo of my father when he closed his music store. The article mentioned the odd triangular shape of his store and the windows. There's a picture of Dad looking out one of those windows.

It got me to remembering that store and seeing it as I'd drive back into town from Seattle to spend the weekend with the folks. To this day I see that building in my mind's eye as I drive through town even though it no longer exists and there's a big store in its place. Funny how the mind and the memory works. I can look right at the place it was and still see it superimposed over the actual building that is there now.

It got me to wondering whatever happened to the neon sign that used to be on the front of the building. I think I was told a long time ago but I don't recall now. Just idle curiosity I guess. I can actually still smell that store too if I think about it for a minute or two. My old 1974 pickup actually sort of smells like Dads moving truck too; a combination of transmission fluid, oil, and some other faintly sweet smell.

I still have Dads favorite sweater that Grandma had made for him when I was just a sprout I think. It smelled like him for a very long time. Doesn't any longer. It's now just a visual memory trigger rather than a smell.

Guess I'm missing Dad today.