Most all the places from my childhood are gone. I realize this when I drive through the streets of town with Skip. I find myself saying all too often, “This is where…was.”, “This is where I used to…”. I know nothing stays the same and I know to survive you must change and adapt. I know all of that, but it’s hard to watch the physical part of my past here melt away. I understand, but I still feel sad.

Allow me this space, on this cold February day, to remember the town of my youth.

I begin with the obvious, Main Street. In my mind, I have tried to start at New Iberia National Bank and go all the way down the street naming the stores; I cannot, for time has taken much memory. The bank was on the corner, it is where my mom did her banking. The drive-thru window was in the rear and the friendly tellers gave pieces of candy to us as we sat unbuckled in the back seat of our blue and white station wagon. Next, was J.W. Low’s. I try to remember exactly how it looked inside but I can only remember the soda fountain in the back and across the way, at Christmastime, there was a small room filled with toys. I sat at the counter and mostly ordered shakes and fountain drinks before going to “the show.” Next, was Mangels. Wormsers was right after Church Alley. In my early childhood, I remember Wormsers was where my mom could buy white gloves and hats for Sunday mass and slips and nightgowns by Lorraine and Vanity Fair. As a teen, I remember Wormser’s new addition, a place to buy Bass Weejun shoes and Hang Ten clothes. A bit past Wormsers sat Babineaux Shoes. I loved the Easter window with colorful plastic eggs and patent leather shoes with buckles for little girls and pumps for preteens (and much later, high tops for my own babies). Our growing feet would be carefully measured, shoes were tried on and we walked around in them to feel the fit; so much care was taken. My mom would bring us there each spring to get our Easter shoes and a little purse to wear for Easter Sunday mass. Ackal’s was next or nearly next, another place to buy pretty women’s hats. Then, there was Creims and Bowabs. I have little memory of those two stores other than they were seemingly from some grand era where women always wore dresses, nylons, gloves and hats. On the corner of Iberia and Main sat one of my favorite places, Morgan and Lindsey. On Saturdays, I spent most of my 2-dollar allowance there and at the Essanee. I can remember the smell of that store and the wooden floors and cases of trinkets on tables.

My memory is foggy between Morgan and Lindsey and Abdallas. I think The Model was there somewhere. I recall men’s suits neatly displayed in the windows. Of course, I remember Abdallas. I believe everyone in this town that is old enough to recall, wishes it were still here. Parking in the back, taking clothes on approval, no interest credit card, alterations, wedding gowns, the shoe department, fragrances, pleasant salespeople, Mr. Abdalla dressed perfectly and there to please his customers…imagine that treasure we enjoyed for so long.

I did not mention Stagg’s Record Shop, The Style Shop, Ackal’s Pharmacy, Lester Mae’s School of Dance, TG&Y, Provost’s Café, Gary’s Drugstore, Mt. Carmel, the old jail and on and on…

Anyway, as this winter day turns colder, my thoughts go further back, back to a town that was filled with bustle and somewhat contained; all we needed was here. I know our memories soften the past, I know the time and the place were not as perfect as my memory, but somehow, when I think about it all, I long for much of it. I think we were more… something?

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the trip down memory lane on this cold February day. Enjoy the small pocket of festivities to come…Valentine’s Day, carnival season and most of all the Full Snow Moon on the sixteenth.

PAM SHENSKY is a wife and mom to five.