At the Malt Shop
by Tim Kavi
On Main Street
in my old hometown
there was a soda fountain malt shop place
that sort of reminded me of the movie
It's A Wonderful Life
It was still there as late as the 1970s
and part of the 1980s
but the kids from the 1950s
were all grown up now
and the counters and stools
were empty
but you could still go there
and get a cup of coffee
or a milkshake
and the old man who owned the place
wore a suit with a narrow black tie
his hair slicked back
horn-rimmed glasses
his adult son still worked with him
but at this point, it seemed a labor of love
forgotten love songs played on the jukebox
in a place where there seemed to be quiet
ghostly shadows juxtaposed on the walls
dancing in the natural light
that came through big picture windows
I would go there and order a cheeseburger
and it would take a few minutes as he cooked it from scratch
this was not a fast food place
and the owner would deliver it to my table
with a big basket of fries
and a check that looked like it was straight out of film noir
the place wasn't open much longer
but the cheese burgers , the Cokes,
the milkshakes were good
I saw my mother's saddle shoes hanging on the doorknob
when I left it that last time
I thanked the owner and his son
It was a time traveler's treat
My grandmother used to work here, I said
back in the 1950s
her nickname was 'Cookie' I said
he had a huge smile
and he had just as many memories as me
only mine were slightly different from his
but we can still make them, even today
(based on a real visit)
that some can only know virtually now...
or, if they take the time, on the silver screen.
