Growing Up in the Gate City

Take a walk down memory lane with me.  Allow me to give you a tour of my home and my childhood.  I grew up on the West Bench.  Skyline Drive to be exact.  I grew up in the same house, from the age of four weeks to 18 years.  Our very yellow kitchen with avocado green tile counter tops, a light green living room with avocado green carpet and the extremely pink upstairs bathroom are all vivid images in my mind. I remember the scent of lilacs in the summer outside my bedroom windows and the simplicity of being young.  I remember living in an area where I was allowed to walk around the neighborhood without the fear of creepy guys and violent crimes.  Although I wasn’t raised in Pleasantville, I had a very simple childhood. 

I had a great childhood.

I enjoyed Tuesday movies during the summer, swimming at Ross Park before there was a lazy river and hourly pool checks, and chowing down on a Space Burger when they were still round and Tastee-Treat was still a drive in.   I remember when the Holt Arena was still the Mini Dome (it always will be in my book); I remember playing on the ISU campus during the summer and hanging out in the Chemistry building with my dad.  My sister and I would play school in dad’s office; he had the old slate blackboards and a lot of chalk!  Dad would humor me when I would construct a new molecule with his models or when I wanted to wear his lab coat and his safety glasses.  I remember walking to the College Market, long before it became a coffee shop and place to hang out, and load up on candy and bubble gum cigarettes.  When staying at dad’s house on Whitman, we would walk across the street to Budget Tapes and Records and spend what was left of our allowance on records. 

I remember when Jefferson Elementary was constructed, right across the street from my house.  How we loved to play on the mounds of dirt; and when the Big Toy went up, it was heaven!!!  During the winter we would take our toboggan and head down the gullies.  Man we were stupid, but had a blast and no worries.  I remember sneaking off Irving Jr. High campus and walking up to Seven-Eleven (now Common-Cents) and getting chili cheese dogs and a big gulp for lunch and the one major perk of later attending Pocatello High (the best high school in Pocatello), was going to Big Gary’s for a bagel in the morning and the best Oreo shake in town for lunch.  And who could forget Deleta Skating Rink?  Friday nights at the skating rink, shoot the duck, the hokey pokey, all reverse skate…blisters on your feet.  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Pocatello Mall. The mall was located next to Shakey’s Pizza Parlor (Fred Meyer now takes up most of the space) and mom would take us to Lamont’s to get new school clothes; my sister and I would beg for an Orange Julius while we waited for mom to finish up her shopping in Ernst, and we would finish by looking at the appliances at Sears.

Who remembers the metal merry-go-round at Ross Park and the big metal slide that you would burn you ass if you weren’t careful?  Before there was Ridley’s there was Okay’s, where you could drive up to the window for a gallon of milk or potato logs (mmmmm).  And let’s not forget Buddy’s.  Buddy’s will always be the place with the slant in the floor, smoke in the air and the chime of the bell in the background signaling that someone’s meal is ready and not that pretentious place in Idaho Falls.  It’s right down the alley from my dad’s old place.  We could walk down to the dive, have a salad, drink a coke and stink for three more days.  (Only those who have experienced “Buddy’s Breath” know exactly what this means.)

I love Pocatello.  No matter where I may travel throughout my life, the Gate City will always be where my heart resides.  My city has undergone many changes, but she’ll always be home.