I’ve done a couple of things in the last week or so that have led me to some quite powerful memories. I wish I could explain adequately just how simple the sight of something or being in a certain place can trigger a memory, but I’m sure you all know what I’m talking about. Anyway I thought that I’d relate two of them for you. One this week and the second next week.
Last week I was giving another evening talk. As I was driving to the venue I had to pass through the town centre nearest to the church hall where I was due to speak. Stopping at a pedestrian crossing I looked over at the shops in the town centre and saw something that I don’t think I’ve seen since I was a kid. It instantly transported me back to being about 9 or 10 years old. A Wimpy burger shop.
Back when I was that age Wimpy stores were much more common than they are today. The likes of McDonalds and Burger King were far less prevalent, often only found in big cities like London, and if you wanted “junk food” Wimpy or KFC or the local chippie was where you went.
The memory that popped into my head was being taken to a Wimpy with my then best friend by my parents for a birthday treat. I was quite surprised by how powerful a memory it was, even though I don’t remember much detail about it. I remember where it was, (the Wimpy store there is long gone), and that it was a birthday treat and who was there, but other than that I don’t remember much else. Just the sight of that storefront and the red furniture, was enough to bring it back instantly.
It was one of those birthday treats that were the thing back at that age. Something special that you did on your birthday that you didn’t do at any other time of the year. Looking back I don’t think as a family we had much spare cash to eat out regularly, very occasional fish and chips but certainly not pubs and restaurants, so going to a Wimpy would have been a treat. At that time the country’s economy was pretty as much in the toilet as it is today, so there are some comparisons. If we went anywhere for a “day out” it would have been somewhere where we would have taken our own picnic and a flask of hot water with a little bottle of milk to make our own tea and a bottle of already diluted squash. I don’t feel at all like I missed out or we were hard done by. We made our own entertainment a lot of the time and I’d say had just as much fun.
If I’d had more time when I saw this Wimpy store, I might have stopped and gone in, but I guess that’ll have to be something for another time maybe.
Thanks for reading.