Hubbard, Ohio

Once upon a time there was the sweetest little town that was ever born, if towns are born. Nestled between the beautiful mountains of Pennsylvania and the lush green valleys of Ohio, up popped little olde Hubbard. It's a little more on the Ohio side than the PA line. We don't know why you fall in love with Hubbard, you just do.

Maybe because on Sunday mornings all the churches are full and all the gas pumps are empty and closed. Not a store was open on Sunday. The streets were clear of cars and noise. The streets were made of cobblestone and red brick. We used to take our pennies to the corner drug store to fill our pockets with gummie treats, 2 for 1 cent. And one day the druggist had a new assortment of brightly colored goodies that I got so excited, I wet his new vinyl floor. He never told a soul.

We also had a PALACE THEATER only cost a quarter, and it had velvet red curtains and large gold tassels and the manager wore a cool looking uniform with big gold buttons down the side and a hat and black shiny shoes. I saw my first movie there with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and I was in love with the Sundance Kid.

We had a bakery and a homemade chocolates shop, where we would get white chocolate crosses on Easter and milk chocolate rabbits the day after Easter. And we can't forget Larry B with his horned rim black glasses with thick lenses that you thought he wasn't watching you, but he was. He wore a crisp white linen apron over his flannel shirt and overalls. Larry always had icy cold coca colas in a big brown barrel full of ice. In the summer, we would just go in for the ice and he would say "Now go on home", then he'd mumble to himself a lot and scratch his head and say come back when you got some money to spend, now go on, get home. Then he would smile.

OH, Bloody Mary was a story we told on Halloween. She owned the gas station and they say she moved to Hubbard cause her husband got shot in a bloody shoot out at the big city they lived in. So she is quiet and old and has skin like leather and gray brown wiry hair. But she has the most piercing bright blue eyes. Everyone says she is mean, but I don't believe them, cause I got her to smile once. I like her, I don't care what anyone says.

In the spring you can smell the lilacs in bloom right through your window. And the grass is deep and green and you can smell the rain coming 5 minutes before it comes your way. You can just lift you nose and close your eyes and take a deep breath. It's coming for sure. We used to sit on the front porch on the glider with our Uncle Cliff with a big glass of lemonade and listen to the rain on the roof. It was so peaceful, you could fall asleep in the middle of a thunderstorm.

The world would turn a fiery red and orange in the Fall in Hubbard. Leaves piled high just to be jumped into and piled again by my little sister and I. And our snow fort in the winter were like actual igloos. Oh, what fun. The best was the first winter snow of each year, sometimes on Christmas Eve. We would pray for it. It's like all Hubbarders feel the same way. They just love that first blanket of white over our tiny town. It's so silent, so precious, and the stars are a little brighter and life seems so real, so now.
The Christmas lights were always hung the same way every year. From one side of the street to the other, right in front of our house. While watching that first snow fall on the Christmas lights and the wind blowing and our Christmas tree in the window, it was magical. That was when my little sister and I would bundle up with sweaters, snow pants, coats, hats and red boots over our shoes and hook on our mittens and take the sled through the streets of our precious little town. We would go at night and collect the diamonds from the streets of Hubbard. Who would think there sparkling gems in our little town but we found them. Then we would trek to the Santa House, only built at Christmas time for the real Santa to visit Hubbard. He was seated on a gold throne and had a real beard and was very jolly, just like all his pictures. As we sat on his lap we each told him all of our dreams and hopes for Christmas day, and we got everything we asked for, and more.

I think of all the fun of Hubbard, and I miss it so. Like a long lost friend comes to visit, I welcome them with loving arms and an open heart. And I take a little out, once in a while and share it with those that I know and love. And I share a little piece of my heart with you today. May your thoughts be as sweet of your home town.

JillE

Submitted: Wednesday 21st January 2004, 9:30 PM

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