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Health & Fitness

Never Saying Goodbye

“Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting.”                                              ~Peter Pan      

History.  Perspective. Humanity. Math. Decisions.  You probably would not expect to visit a small candy and antique shop and walk out with these treats in your hand.  Quite a bargain as they come complimentary with your penny candy. Over the years, these treasures move into a special place in your heart and stick with you to become not only wonderful life lessons, but cherished childhood memories.  For me, saying goodbye is not an option because I will never forget what this place means to me.    

My favorite special Tolland landmark has always been The Homestead, or, as residents more lovingly know it, the Red and White.  Walking in there is like walking back into time, a time when life was simpler and more carefree.  When you walk up on to the porch and approach the screen door you can feel the history all around you.  I find myself smiling ear to ear as I turn the knob of the door and set foot into one of the beloved places of my childhood.  The beautiful wide-planked, worn wood floor that tells you as it creaks about hundreds of years and thousands of people that have gone by. History. The old wooden footstool in front of the glass candy case reminds you that there was a time you were too small to see what was inside waiting for you to take home.  Perspective.  Mrs. Shaffer’s kind smile is what you would find behind the glass candy case … and unless you have witnessed a young child buying candy on their own or were that young child yourself once, you won’t know the depths of her patience just by seeing her warm smile. Humanity.  

“How many Swedish Fish can I buy if I get a pack of Checker Mint gum?  Okay, well what if I want a rock candy, then how many fish can I get?”  Math.  Not many kids understood how to calculate the tax on their candy purchases in the 4th grade but always wanted to make the most of their dollar or two that they saved for this very occasion.  Decisions.  Mrs. Shaffer was always happy to help answer those tough candy-making decisions, or at least she sure seemed to be!  I remember many times her taking back one thing to replace it with something else until I felt I had gotten what I wanted and made the most out of my money.  Walking into the Red and White as an adult with a $5 bill will surely make you feel like a king!  Five hundred (or 470 if you don’t have the $.32 for tax in your pocket) Swedish Fish that were patiently hand-counted and placed in plastic bags by the 50 are handed to you in your overflowing paper bag.  This was something you could only dream about back in your 4th grade, backpack-carrying, after-school-rendezvous years.  The kindness and patience of Mrs. Shaffer is something that is hard to find and something many of us dream about finding again as adults.  

I recently learned that the Red and White was being sold and my heart broke from the news.  It wasn’t until I saw the for sale sign on the property that it truly hit home.  Now having a child of my own, I dreamed of bringing her there, to stand on that same stool and look with excitement into the old glass candy case.  I wanted her to experience the joy and beauty of this magical little place.  I wanted her to save her money for the awaited trips to her favorite store, where she could learn a little about math, history, making decisions, perspective, and humanity.    

In 30 years, the Red and White never changed.  Not inside, not outside, not in the heart nor in the soul.   Whenever I needed to walk down Memory Lane to vacate from my adult stresses, or just wanted to munch on some red or purple Swedish Fish, going to the Red and White was the home I chose to do that in Tolland and for good reason.  I choose not to say goodbye to this special place that captured my heart in childhood and remained there throughout my adulthood.  My heavy heart hopes that someone who loves this place as much as I do will keep the magic and history alive for future generations to enjoy.  And even if someone does fulfill this hope, I have a hard time believing that anyone could ever fill the kind and patient shoes of Mrs. Schaffer.  Thank you, Mrs. Shaffer, for your kindness and for making these childhood memories special and memorable for so many people.     

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