Tesco Hardware

In 1991 when we were still living in Flushing, the local hardware store handed out breast pocket weekly planners in celebration of their 25th anniversary: 1966-1991. I remember when the Tesco family bought the hardware store from the Nelsons, who bought the store from the Herzog's. Saturday was always a great day because it was of course the first of two days off from school, as well as the day I got to go to the hardware store with my father to bring home benzene, paint, or something that was filled up from a tank in the back. Or a bag of nails. Loose nails in tin bins; 6d, 8d, 10d, etc.

We no longer live in Flushing and Tesco hardware is gone too. The family is still around, but no longer trying to figure out the translation to whatever it was people were describing to them that they needed.

I still have the weekly planner, as much for the sentimental value as for the often valuable quotes that are part of its layout at the top of every other page. Some quotes are pedestrian, but interesting because of who they're from who is still around.

Diane Sawyer: "I'm always fascinated by the way memory diffuses fact." Gee. Wow. Diane, you're deep.

Others are worthy material for Bartlett's, and might actually be in later editions. Two of them I've remembered all these years and am somewhat guided by, no different than if they were passages from the Bible.

Reverend Hesburgh: "The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." Reverend Hesburgh was president of Notre Dame at the time, and is still around. I recently saw something on an Op-Ed page he was weighing in on.

And certainly on the playful side, one of my absolute favorites is from Mae West: "Too much of a good thing is wonderful."

So when someone we know remarked that they are "...barely keeping my head above water with librarians." I was able to quickly remind them of Ms. West's sentiments.

Of course, if anyone can remember anything about Ms. West, or chooses to look it up, they will easily conclude that Mae was not talking about checking books out of buildings, but was rather more occupied in thought with checking something else out and enjoying it.

No matter. The sentiment fits, and that's all that matters. Which of course goes to show you that quotes can be like liquids: they assume the shape of their container.

http://www,onofframp.blogspot.com/