BROADWAY

All my life in Lorain, this street loomed large; to call it "the main drag" seems an understatement.

As a child, Broadway was a magic ribbon of shops, theaters, and restaurants that the grown folks would take us to, for all too brief visits. For me, of course, Broadway was a part of my everyday experience, the block between 20th and 18th Streets, at least...we walked to school that way.

Later, Broadway was my workplace, and my playground, whether shining shoes, or pub-crawling through venues with names like The Angry Bull, the 333 Club, and Club 1504. My shrinks were on Broadway, as well...the Nord Center's offices were originally downtown, then moved out to the southern end of Broadway, in a building that looked like a giant toaster oven.

I last walked down Broadway about four years ago, on a visit to Lorain; I was looking for sunglasses, and found a great pair for $3 at Wigland...no suprise. Still, it was a sad experience, like visiting Ma at Oak Hills Nursing Home after her stroke. Too many strangers, and too many ghosts.