MY DARLING SPRINGTIME
There is the warmth of Sunrays
The warmth penetrating into my very soul
There has been an awakening from my dormancy
Are you near? Are you here?
My darling springtime
As I gaze upon your loveliness
And contemplate your beauty
You are the dawning light
Supporting the perfection of springtime.
Spring 1999

Thanks Mr. Greene.

I have written this in a previous column but it never ceases to amaze me. I call it GAME SEASONS. The various games played in South Philadelphia had seasons. It was uncanny. It seemed that some unwritten code mandated when games were to be played. Playing a game out of season was almost unheard of. For example: paper football was only played after the football season opened; springtime is when we played marbles. Some silent message signaled the end of one game season and the beginning of another. Not only did the game season rely on the weather or ongoing events, but also it seemed like it started on a given day. One day, no one played a particular game. But the next day everyone played it because the season had started. That game was played until the next game season started. 

A perfect example occurred just last week, while driving down Porter St. I passed two stickball games and a couple of guys playing 'chink' against a wall. How about in your neighborhood? Was there a game season? Drop me a line.
Springtime reminds me of ICE CHIPS. The iceman cut a large block of ice into smaller pieces for sale. In the process of cutting these smaller pieces, chips of ice broke off the larger block. When the iceman went to deliver the ice into the house, the chips were appropriated and eaten by the kids who just happened to be nearby.

And FROZEN BANANAS. First the banana was peeled. A round? stick was inserted into one end of the banana and the banana was then frozen. The frozen banana was dipped into melted chocolate, encasing it in a thick chocolate shell. The stick was used to hold the banana, of course. Once coated, the bananas were put in a little wax paper bag and kept in the freezer until needed. Frozen bananas tasted great on a warm spring or summer day. In fact they were great any time. They sold for ten cents at Nick's candy store.

Remember the PEANUT MAN who had a push cart with a gas fired peanut roaster, in which he roasted peanuts just before he sold them? The aroma of the roasting peanuts went throughout the neighborhood. It hypnotically drew you to that pushcart, enticing you to buy some of those hot, fresh roasted peanuts.
Springtime is when we CLEANED THE STREETS. Almost all the neighbors got out their buckets and brooms when someone opened the plug. They swept and cleaned the 'pay-ments,' streets and front steps. Almost all the neighbors did this often because they really took genuine pride in their neighborhoods.

Springtime always reminds me of DRESSING UP for Easter. Easter was the time to show off our new clothes. It was a ritual performed every time we visited relatives or friends. It was not acceptable to dress casually when visiting. These visits were made while wearing good clothes and shoes, never jeans and sneakers. Welcome springtime - let's get done with the winter blues.

I have been writing about MY memories of having grown up in South Philly I would also love to share some of YOUR memories from Your neighborhoods. I know you have some nice recollections from Oxford Circle, Strawberry Mansion, Mount Airy, the Bottom and the rest that you'd like to share with a us. Is there a character, a distinctive store or some toy or game you played when you were young? Send your description of it to me and I'll include it in the column, with appropriate credit to you of course.

You can contact me at the Philadelphia Public Record. You can E-mail me at Waffleman@phillyrecord.com or visit my web page for other great memories - http://www.Dwaffleman.com. By the way, the five (5) books in The Waffle man Series are available for you to share our memories with your friends and loved ones.

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