He wasn't quite sure how he got here, the year 2015 but he did. He was in front of his TV which showed the Macy's Day Parade with all the crowd yelling and screaming with delight as the great balloons went by and performers performed while the bands played. As he watched his mind transported him some 50 years into the past when he brought some of his kids to the Macy's Day Parade. He and his wife had 7 children but the year was somewhere around 1967 0r 68 and only 3 for sure could go definitely not the twins or the last son they had of five in a row. But his wife was preparing the Thanksgiving feast for both their families and need a break and he had his office on the eight floor at the corner of 46th. Street and Broadway in New York City.
The parade would pass right by his window and the balloons would seem close enough to touch. The balloons of 2015 were not the balloons of that day which included his favorite Popeye.
The weather was not kind that day. Some slushy snow was on the streets as the temperature would only climb to the low 40's Fahrenheit. The kids were excited as they rode the subways, the Number 7 line into Times Square. He couldn't remember if he brought breakfast at the luncheonette in the same building in his office or that was the time he brought them into the automat, Horn and Hardart. He did remember that when he did bring them to H & H their eyes widened as they were amazed at the whole set up of such a place. Google it and you who are not familiar with the automat will understand why a kid would be awed by it.
He remembered going into his office which was the company's New York International office of American International Pictures. It covered the whole floor and once again the kids were awed by the desks, the offices the telephones and they proceeded to run all over the place discovering new things, making phone call maybe, getting into desks. No matter how he tried he couldn't get them to come to the window to see this great spectacle. Suddenly Popeye was upon his street so he made them come and see it but as soon as it past they went around exploring the office.
One of the salesmen, Bill Moroski called from Mexico and one of the kids answered, finally he took the call and explained it was Thanksgiving and the Office was closed. He cracked up and said he'd call tomorrow. Finally Santa was on the way and he made them stay at the window while Santa passed. He remembered it was a great moment, for him, but not for the kids they returned to upsetting the office amid his screams, of "I'm never doing this again". And he didn't. But as he came back into the present he wished he would have done it again.
Now a half a century later he wished he could have his children small and young and full of awe at all the things that they saw for the first time. His 7 children are alive and well but they are fully grown up and the children of awe and wonder who looked towards mom and dad are no longer around. Mom was no longer around and hadn't been for almost 8 years as she passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer's. The kids today have their own kids who are mostly young adults and one of their kids has a kid of her own which makes him a great-grandfather. He loves them all greatly. He misses her greatly.
As the Macy's Day Parade of 2015 is nearing its end with Santa approaching getting ready to enter Macy's Department store he realized he had a great life and much to be thankful for, yet, it would be nice to have those days with the youth and excitement and love that his life was enveloped in once more. A chance to hold his kids in his arms, to kiss his wife once more and share a life that was full of love, awe and expectations yet to be fulfilled.
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