Something for Everyone

My friend Rene showed me some PVC pipe pieces recently that she had bought at Delaney's, a local surplus store complex.  This mid-summer conversation about Delaney's took me back to mid-summers so many years ago when, as a child, I'd accompany my mom and dad to Delaney's, usually because Dad needed some type of tool to complete a project at home.  While Dad looked in earnest for the item he needed, Mom and I would circulate throughout the big store and seek out treasures.  Delaney's has always been one of those places where there's something for everyone.  From packaged snack treats to barrels of shoes to bins of children's books to shelves of tools, Delaney's was always a treasure trove in this child's eyes.  I recall Mr. Delaney sitting behind the counter and answering customers' questions, mainly about prices because nothing in the store had a price tag.  I really liked Mr. Delaney and I was fascinated  that he could quickly calculate in his head the price of any item that crossed his counter.  Those were great mid-summer adventures. I was grateful that Rene reminded me of them.