January 31st, 2012
the last day of Webster Record Shop.
We don't have a cultural routine for the end of a favorite business.
When a person dies we know what to do....
go to the visitation, attend the funeral,
go to the graveside.
What about saying good bye to a small store
filled with memories and likable people?
I didn't really want to go back,
but how could I let this day pass without a moment of recognition?
When I last visited Webster Records Bill and I spoke of many things:
the state of the economy, bluegrass music,
chocolate syrup,
and my certainty that there is a movement afoot
causing people to return to a more personable,
companionable way of shopping which is, of course,
small and local.
I believe that is true,
but the movement didn't start soon enough to stop the closure of this 60 year old shop.
So what to do?
Well, chocolate is appropriate for all sorts of occasions.
Bill, the faithful proprietor of Webster Records,
had mentioned his favorite treat,
Hershey's Chocolate Syrup.
So I ran into Sappington Farmer's Market,
bought a can of the yummy stuff,
enclosed it in some colorful tissue
with a bright ribbon,
and drove to Webster Groves.
The place was busy with folks browsing for a favorite record,
as I imagine it would have been on a Saturday morning in1956.
I gave Bill his cylinder of sweetness
and he was as appreciative as a child.
I told him thanks for his years of service,
that I would miss him and
hoped St. Louis was a small enough town that I would see him again sometime.
This was when I learned Bill
is not only a political scientist
and a proficient musical reference,
he is also a student of eschatology.
He said: "Oh we'll meet again.
You see, I believe in heaven and
I'm planning to be there....
not that I'm getting there on my own....
but I'll be there."
I listened as he spoke joyfully of things eternal,
ethereal and musical.
I said good bye 'till we meet again and
left smiling
as I considered the life he described.
