A Dollar All Day
During our last week in Denver, the Triple J Household (Jes, Jaala & Justus) took us out to the movies to see UP and celebrate Alicia’s birthday. None of us really knew what to expect from UP, yet we were all in tears from the first reel to the last. The tears represented all emotions imaginable and conjured up many memories from the past and a few hundred that have yet to be made in the future. It is a wonderful movie, a truly magnificent testament to the two lives most worthy of the acclaim this movie has received. The excursion was a surprise and one of the best gifts we have received. Making the evening more delightful was the venue in which we viewed the movie. Not so much the actual venue as it is now, rather, what used to encompass the space.
Many moons ago, to the tune of over twenty years, there was a shopping center in southwest Denver called Bear Valley. The mall included bear statues one could crawl upon and feel triumphant. There were your basic sundry shops and only a restaurant or two; these were the days before food courts. It wasn’t a grand mall nor a spectacular shopping experience; venture back in time when the big stores at the mall were a drug store and a department store. Yet, as we knew not what the future held for malls and shopping centers, it was doable and held magic on its own meager merits.
When I was a single digit child, a visit to Bear Valley was about as exciting as life could get. Especially if it happened in the company of my childhood friend, Melody. I idolized Melody and, truthfully, still do today. I am guessing that after you read this you just may idolize her as well. As I would leave the house to get into the car, driven by Melody’s mom, that would take us to Bear Valley, my mother would hand me a dollar. You read that right, a dollar.
Now, I mentioned this mall existed quite a few years ago, though I am not exceedingly old. The events that I am about to share, happened between the years of 1977 to 1980. In those years, as it is today, a dollar was not much money. What I haven’t shared yet, is my innocence and lack of understanding concerning the value of money. To me, back then (and some may say at present) a dollar may as well have been a million dollars. I was in heaven! I had a dollar and a day at Bear Valley with Melody.
Our routine was to spend the whole day languidly shopping and conversing and playing on the bear statues- though I feigned non interest to appear older for Melody, who had a few years on me. This age difference fully cemented her enigma status and cool factor in my eyes. She and I would look in stores, where I made mental notes as to what the inventory contained and what I might want to buy. This went on for the few hours before we paused for lunch.
Lunch, during these excursions, took place in the restaurant attached to the drug store. We were escorted to a booth, menus placed in front of us and a soda pop was promised to be on its way. I looked over the menu and selected a sandwich, a grilled cheese, with fries on the side. Melody changed up her meal from time to time- I stayed consistent. We ate and chatted while the waitress catered to our every whim and need. After finishing our meal we resumed browsing until the day ran out and our ride was on their way.
My final task of the day was to decide what I would buy with my dollar. Yes, you see- I thought lunch was supplied for free, that the waitress was so good and nice to us because she enjoyed it. In my mind this happened for everyone. There was no need for money- everything was free! Everything, except the one tiny trinket I would deem worthy enough for the trade of my dollar. This treasure, I took all day to decide upon. I would look through every store and hold on to my dollar assuredly until the last minute when I would run back to the miniature store and buy one thing for my doll house. I only had a dollar after all. I was lucky to acquire a tiny plastic album, or broom, or baby doll, and even then I am sure I didn’t have enough for tax.
Melody was my fairy godmother, guardian angel, role model, red haired goddess and bankroll all wrapped up together. She created this magical bubble where time didn’t matter, where decadent reward food was provided, where reality was kept at bay for a day for one little girl to experience daydreams while being wide awake. A different world from her own, a wonderland- if you will- the likes of which has yet to be matched.
It was fitting to experience UP on the same spot Bear Valley once was. To watch a movie about believing and love and magic, where I was first in the land of make believe. Where I could suspend the harshness of my childhood to float through the day with my only concern being how to spend my one dollar. To revisit this spot with dear friends and the one I love, all of us under the spell of UP, is something I will cherish forever. I am unsure of how to express the gratitude in my heart for Melody, The Triple J Household, and Alicia. If I could go back and retrieve all of those single dollars and redistribute them to everyone I love, so that they could experience a dollar all day, the way I was privileged to experience…I would be UP and on it, in a heartbeat with the help of the magical balloon in my soul.