The Movie Theater and the Meat Market

Gowrie had one movie theater and represented a business/entertainment establishment that was not patronized at all by any member of our family until the older of the children were well into high school. I doubt that either my mother or father ever saw a movie in their entire lifetimes. I personally can only recall being in the theater once, can remember virtually nothing about the feature being shown and don’t remember what the occasion was that brought me there. I’m sure it was an out-of-the-ordinary situation to make a change in the well-established pattern in our family life.

Adjacent to the theater was the principal meat market, first operated by one Lundell who sold out to Hinman. I can still see the features of the market with the sawdust on the floor, the counter extending across the store from right to left separating the proprietor and his wares from the customers. Dimly I recall errands to the meat market at the behest of my mother. On one of those occasions one of the local newsboys came in with his dog in tow (no leashes in Gowrie at the time, the dog just followed his master and there was no hesitation in allowing the dog in the market). For 5 cents the newsboy purchased a meal of liver for his dog who consumed it on the spot where it was thrown on the floor in front of him.

Lundell I think later on restarted a meat market at another location about a block further east and across the street. He had a small sideline in buying unroasted peanuts and roasting them himself. This was an item of food that my uncle Carl liked (along with watermelon) and I can recall being treated to his latest supply when we were at my grandmother’s house at some time.