This past Sunday I had the opportunity to return to "the land of my birth" or my "old stomping grounds." My wife and I went to see a ballet performance of the Nutcracker at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, where I was born and spent my first 30+ years.
After our first year of marriage, we moved out of New Britain to Windham, under divine guidance. I never thought I’d move out of my beloved New Britain. I was working at near-by Plainville at a decent job. But the growth potential had suddenly become limited with the arrival of a new owner and I felt directed after prayer to move on.
So after the play, we hopped in our car on a freezing cold night to explore the town I had not been to in more than 20 years. I wasn’t expecting anything dramatic. Most, if not all my acquaintances, had moved away or passed away. My fellow workers had moved on. The teens I managed have grown and established families. The mothers I worked with are now grandmothers. Most of my parents friends weren’t around, neither were their kids. In fact I don’t have any idea where most of my childhood friends have taken root. All I know is that they aren’t in New Britain anymore.
First, we visited our first two apartments. Our first, where I was living when we were first married, was a multi-unit building with some ranch-style apartments and townhouse-style units as well. The building looked modern and well-maintained on the outside, but the roof leaked badly. We left after water flooded several areas of our apartment and damaged some cherished furniture.
Our second apartment, the second floor unit of a three-family house, was also still standing. It looked like the owner may have insulated the house. When we lived there, we could feel the cold wind, but heat was included in the rent. So if the owner wanted to blow lots of money heating the apartments, it was his problem, not ours. Personally, I would never rent a poorly insulated apartment, house etc., if I had to pay for the heat separately. If the heat is on my tab, I want to make sure the unit is well insulated.
As we drove past my former home and the houses of my close friends and relatives, it seemed a bit weird that someone else was living there. It was kind of like a "It’s a Wonderful Life" experience. After accepting reality, I wake up to my wonderful life in a different community.
Just like most towns in our country, NB has both desirable neighborhoods and not-so-desirable areas. Most changes I observed was changes in the business communities. I was surprised to see some businesses still there from the days of my youth. Eblens still has its founding store open. Amatos Hobby Shop is still there, as is NB Furriers. If you ever visit NB, stop in for a soda at Avery’s on Corbin Avenue. It’s great to see this home-grown business still going on. We have a similar business at home, and it’s a source of home-town pride. Of course, all the big, main-line denominational churches still maintain their stately presence. Most of the residential neighborhoods remain the same as well. Some of the commercial buildings house different businesses. Gone are some former fixtures as the Burger King and the Taco Bell. Moved are the McD’s and the KFC.
Some new commercial areas have developed in near-by Plainville and some areas in NB are boarded up. Capital Lunch no longer exists. How can NB residents survive without this world-famous hot dog establishment I’ll never know. Generations will never know what they’re missing!
We drove passed a neighborhood market that provided my family with great meats. We liked Mays Market because Walter Mays would allow my parents to pay off a monthly tab. This was especially useful during the summers, as my parents vacationed in Mystic, and us semi-adult children stayed home to work at summer jobs. Not surprisingly, the store isn’t there any more. It’s been replaced by a locally owned convenience store – certainly not a place to purchase groceries, just junk food.
One thing I noted was that New Britain has managed to survive, even though that torrid Route 72 highway ripped apart the downtown in two. But the town green was cheerfully decorated for the Christmas holiday.
I originally intended to have an after-show dinner at my former favorite pizza shop, but neither of us was very hungry. Plus I was sure that the shop, even if it still existed, would definitely have different owners.
Visiting the past was interesting, but not real emotional. I couldn’t say "Hi!" to anyone, because no one was there I knew. Only the dwellings exist, not the people. I have established new roots and have fallen in love with my now home community. I’ve been active in civic affairs to the best of my ability while raising three sons. As I’ve taught them, the present and future are much more important than the past. We can’t change the past, but we can use the present to change our future. As much as I have some fond memories, life has moved on, I have moved on, and my home is now in Willimantic, where I have established a new life with new traditions.
