What a fine piece of writing, Clancy. You had me eight years old again on my hand-me-down, rusty bicycle, fenders scraping -- screek - skreek - skreek! I followed you, terrified, down that steep hill with only foot brakes, heart pounding. I remember buying candy called Abba-zabba, sort of sticky taffy wrapped around peanut butter. Tooth breaking stuff. I remember sitting on the floor reading the comic books that I never had money to buy. The shop owner didn't care. I remember stealing a plum and not getting caught. I hadn't thought about these things for a long, long time. Thanks for bringing back my own childhood for a few minutes through your inspired memoir and this beautifully evocative prose.
- What’s the first purchase you ever remember making without your parents?
It was probably space raider crisps from the local store. They were 10p then.
-What’s the equivalent of ‘Andersen’s’ convenience stores where you grew you? Do you think most convenience stores are the same no matter where you go?
We had a Happy Shopper about 15 metres from my house across the road. “The brand name was used broadly for a convenience store franchise between 1971 and 1998” I was a shy, chubby 8 year old in 1990 and loved going there for crisps, sweets and a panda pop on a hot summer’s day.
- Who was your friend whose parents were more lenient than your own?
Most of my friends had more lenient parents than me. Mine were no means strict, but my mum was very anxious, one friend, Graham (name changed) was a child of a single mother who we later learned had schizophrenia. So G was very street wise form a young age, he’d go out at age 4 and wonder round the high street. We lived in a small market town so it was very safe. His mum let him go out and do whatever he wanted but he never really got into trouble.
I remember something about "space raider crisps" from your piece about your art expo, I think it was. Can't say I even know what those are but they sound like a solid choice.
With a name like "Happy Shopper", how can you go wrong??? It's like if Andersen's from my story just changed their name to their slogan of "Always Around The Corner".
Graham sounds like a few Clancy Steadwell knew growing up, but drifted away from. Always wonder what they're up to now.
Yes, thanks for reading that one. I don’t know what they are comparable to in the US. They were beef or pickled onion flavour and melt in your mouth, more corn puffs than crisps.
Happy Shopper, yes, it’s quite a nostalgia for me. I was always happy going in there, but as I was quite shy I hated going up to the til and having to talk to the staff, it was painful lol
Yes, I lost touch with him but hear about him through other friends, he’s doing well.
I totally agree on beef monster munch! Hedgehog crisps must be a dream though! I hope not. Yes, Panda Pop cartons, so thirst quenching and a workout at the same time :-D
The first purchase I made without my parents was Chuck Berry's Greatest Hits. It was an LP with a burnt orange cover and a black and white picture of Chuck with his big Gibson ES-335 singing into one of those old mics that kinda looks like an electric shaver. I played the shit out of it. My stepdad forbade me from listening to modern music, no Def Leppard, KISS, or Motley Crue. He wouldn't let me listen to anything past about 1964 & really wanted me to listen to things like Buddy Holly, The Ventures and the old bubble gum crapola of a bunch of Wally Cleaver look alikes who all dressed the same and had stupid names like The Four Teddy Bears and shit. I have no clue if that's an actual name but you know what I'm saying. Chuck Berry fit into the time frame but was rebellious in that the stepdad didn't like him. Or Jerry Lee Lewis, or even The King himself, Elvis Fuckin Presley. To this day those three are still some of my favorites. My apologies for getting off track.
As to ubiquitous convenience stores it was Pilot. There was one near our house, they had free air and water. The air pump was an old red one on a pedestal, you cranked the dial on the side for your desired pressure. It had the white numbers against a black field, and would ding as each pound was released. They eventually put in a coin operated model.
I didn't have any friends until I was 14-15 years old and then only about 4 of them, and all of their parents were more lenient than mine. One in particular, he was the youngest, his parents were really nice and laid back. They'd already raised two daughters that were 6-10 years older than him so he had a free hand pretty much. They would have us move their furniture, big heavy antique stuff, they moved constantly and always to really nice places. It still doesn't make sense to me, they had money but they would see a house they liked and move. We were paid in money, beer and pizza. His dad would take us to store and stand us in front of the beer coolers and say get what you want. My best friend's parents had property in the country and before we could drive they'd take us up on Friday evening and pick us up Sunday afternoon late, leaving us to 15 acres and enough weapons to outfit a platoon. That's the only thing I was allowed to do, own guns. I wasn't allowed to go to parties because of the potential for trouble but I could leave the house for the weekend with 5-6 guns and 1000 rounds and a Have a good time. If parents did it today then and their kids would be in jail. Those were the DDDAAAYAYAYYYS!!!
Wow Fossil, what a great comment, different times for sure. I'm glad my story dredged those up. I think a lot of kids first purchase was a record -- there is no better first purchase, in my opinion. I think Andersen's definitely has those free air pumps too haha!
I don't think the narrator of this story's deceased father would have let their kid anywhere NEAR a gun, for better or worse.
This is going to sound snobbish but my first unsupervised purchase was “the secret garden” the book.
I come from a small town in Valencia, Spain. Back then there were no chain convenience stores. All of them were unique in their own right. I remember the smell of the one I used to go to- it was a mixture of charcuterie and Marsiglia soap.
Most of my friends’ parents had a similar outtake on life- go to the park, come back when I tell you.
That vision of the Queen Anne’s lace reminds me of these flowers my mum had in her garden- queens earrings. But they are as fancy as they sound. Picturing the 9 year old laughing and crying and wiping the tears away made my heart hurt a bit. Lovely story. PS I hate how the nutty bits of the toblerone stick to my molars. I have sworn off that stuff.
My first purchase I remember making on my own was a big one, and an accident at that. I had just moved into my first apartment and the circa 1980’s washing machine I had just inherited went kaput before I could even hook it up. So, off to the store I went. I found the cheapest washer in the store and went for it. Almost gave me heart palpitations with the price tag but it was a good fit for several years thereafter.
What a fine piece of writing, Clancy. You had me eight years old again on my hand-me-down, rusty bicycle, fenders scraping -- screek - skreek - skreek! I followed you, terrified, down that steep hill with only foot brakes, heart pounding. I remember buying candy called Abba-zabba, sort of sticky taffy wrapped around peanut butter. Tooth breaking stuff. I remember sitting on the floor reading the comic books that I never had money to buy. The shop owner didn't care. I remember stealing a plum and not getting caught. I hadn't thought about these things for a long, long time. Thanks for bringing back my own childhood for a few minutes through your inspired memoir and this beautifully evocative prose.
Thanks so much Sharron, means a lot from you, I always read your stuff!
P.S. beautiful post, I could relate to a lot of what you said.
- What’s the first purchase you ever remember making without your parents?
It was probably space raider crisps from the local store. They were 10p then.
-What’s the equivalent of ‘Andersen’s’ convenience stores where you grew you? Do you think most convenience stores are the same no matter where you go?
We had a Happy Shopper about 15 metres from my house across the road. “The brand name was used broadly for a convenience store franchise between 1971 and 1998” I was a shy, chubby 8 year old in 1990 and loved going there for crisps, sweets and a panda pop on a hot summer’s day.
- Who was your friend whose parents were more lenient than your own?
Most of my friends had more lenient parents than me. Mine were no means strict, but my mum was very anxious, one friend, Graham (name changed) was a child of a single mother who we later learned had schizophrenia. So G was very street wise form a young age, he’d go out at age 4 and wonder round the high street. We lived in a small market town so it was very safe. His mum let him go out and do whatever he wanted but he never really got into trouble.
I remember something about "space raider crisps" from your piece about your art expo, I think it was. Can't say I even know what those are but they sound like a solid choice.
With a name like "Happy Shopper", how can you go wrong??? It's like if Andersen's from my story just changed their name to their slogan of "Always Around The Corner".
Graham sounds like a few Clancy Steadwell knew growing up, but drifted away from. Always wonder what they're up to now.
Yes, thanks for reading that one. I don’t know what they are comparable to in the US. They were beef or pickled onion flavour and melt in your mouth, more corn puffs than crisps.
Happy Shopper, yes, it’s quite a nostalgia for me. I was always happy going in there, but as I was quite shy I hated going up to the til and having to talk to the staff, it was painful lol
Yes, I lost touch with him but hear about him through other friends, he’s doing well.
I think you’re describing what we call PORK RINDS!
no, those are pork scratchings! We have those too. :-D
I totally agree on beef monster munch! Hedgehog crisps must be a dream though! I hope not. Yes, Panda Pop cartons, so thirst quenching and a workout at the same time :-D
The first purchase I made without my parents was Chuck Berry's Greatest Hits. It was an LP with a burnt orange cover and a black and white picture of Chuck with his big Gibson ES-335 singing into one of those old mics that kinda looks like an electric shaver. I played the shit out of it. My stepdad forbade me from listening to modern music, no Def Leppard, KISS, or Motley Crue. He wouldn't let me listen to anything past about 1964 & really wanted me to listen to things like Buddy Holly, The Ventures and the old bubble gum crapola of a bunch of Wally Cleaver look alikes who all dressed the same and had stupid names like The Four Teddy Bears and shit. I have no clue if that's an actual name but you know what I'm saying. Chuck Berry fit into the time frame but was rebellious in that the stepdad didn't like him. Or Jerry Lee Lewis, or even The King himself, Elvis Fuckin Presley. To this day those three are still some of my favorites. My apologies for getting off track.
As to ubiquitous convenience stores it was Pilot. There was one near our house, they had free air and water. The air pump was an old red one on a pedestal, you cranked the dial on the side for your desired pressure. It had the white numbers against a black field, and would ding as each pound was released. They eventually put in a coin operated model.
I didn't have any friends until I was 14-15 years old and then only about 4 of them, and all of their parents were more lenient than mine. One in particular, he was the youngest, his parents were really nice and laid back. They'd already raised two daughters that were 6-10 years older than him so he had a free hand pretty much. They would have us move their furniture, big heavy antique stuff, they moved constantly and always to really nice places. It still doesn't make sense to me, they had money but they would see a house they liked and move. We were paid in money, beer and pizza. His dad would take us to store and stand us in front of the beer coolers and say get what you want. My best friend's parents had property in the country and before we could drive they'd take us up on Friday evening and pick us up Sunday afternoon late, leaving us to 15 acres and enough weapons to outfit a platoon. That's the only thing I was allowed to do, own guns. I wasn't allowed to go to parties because of the potential for trouble but I could leave the house for the weekend with 5-6 guns and 1000 rounds and a Have a good time. If parents did it today then and their kids would be in jail. Those were the DDDAAAYAYAYYYS!!!
Wow Fossil, what a great comment, different times for sure. I'm glad my story dredged those up. I think a lot of kids first purchase was a record -- there is no better first purchase, in my opinion. I think Andersen's definitely has those free air pumps too haha!
I don't think the narrator of this story's deceased father would have let their kid anywhere NEAR a gun, for better or worse.
Thanks for reading and subscribing!
This is going to sound snobbish but my first unsupervised purchase was “the secret garden” the book.
I come from a small town in Valencia, Spain. Back then there were no chain convenience stores. All of them were unique in their own right. I remember the smell of the one I used to go to- it was a mixture of charcuterie and Marsiglia soap.
Most of my friends’ parents had a similar outtake on life- go to the park, come back when I tell you.
That vision of the Queen Anne’s lace reminds me of these flowers my mum had in her garden- queens earrings. But they are as fancy as they sound. Picturing the 9 year old laughing and crying and wiping the tears away made my heart hurt a bit. Lovely story. PS I hate how the nutty bits of the toblerone stick to my molars. I have sworn off that stuff.
The secret garden! what a great coming of age book, and a great first purchase. Not snobbish at all, very cool. Thanks for reading.
My first purchase I remember making on my own was a big one, and an accident at that. I had just moved into my first apartment and the circa 1980’s washing machine I had just inherited went kaput before I could even hook it up. So, off to the store I went. I found the cheapest washer in the store and went for it. Almost gave me heart palpitations with the price tag but it was a good fit for several years thereafter.
Wow that it is a big first purchase! Seems like a good one though.
This story was giving me big Wawa vibes and I could smell the store's interior while reading...the stacks of TastyKakes...the soft pretzels...
Wawa! Another great regional convenience store.