So, did you grow up pronouncing it "FI-leens" (accent on first syllable) or "Fah-LEENS" (accent on second syllable)? My grandmother uttered the latter, when she would make plans with Beattie or Gittie (her sisters) to, "Meet me under clock at Fahleen's." This little box (pictured) came from Gram's house. (Why she needed white chalk is anyone's guess). It was in a pile of garbage where I luckily found it and snatched it. Though it's hard to see, it's got the old logo, the one I remember as a little boy. I can recall the scary in-store elevators (with the operators), all the herky-jerkiness of those old things and how you could see out the glass doors in-between floors . It was on those doors that I recall that circular logo, either on a handle or maybe it was a decal on the glass.
The last time I was in Filene's was the later 1980s. I was amazed and thrilled when I rode the escalator down into the basement and found it to be the same as it ever was. Sure, the upstairs had been remodeled/updated countless times (or maybe just once, I don't know) but the basement was weirdly stuck in time....like 1948. It hadn't been painted, the floors were OLD, the fixtures were OLD....I didn't want to leave. And wasn't it Filene's Automatic Bargain Basement? I still have the goofy shoes I bought that day.
I said FYE but my mother said "Fill" as did all of my other relatives. Here's the spooky thing. My grandfather - who got me my WAY BANDY makeup book at Filene's Basement - went the religiously. When I saw your previous Filene's post, my word verification was "Gramp" - which was our nickname for him.
ReplyDeleteThere was a chain of "Filene's Basement"s but they weren't the same. I think they may have gone out of business, too. It makes me sad.
I really have to create a character named "Filene."
I mean, "went there." I was just so excited to read this post!
ReplyDelete"when i saw your previous filene's post....word verification was "gramp"...."
ReplyDeletedoes this mean we'll need to start another blog for spooky/spiritual unexplainables? i'm not a believer, but the gramp wv is ultra odd. must've really weirded you out.
It did. I mean the "dishie" thing was funny but that was strange. Then again I have stuff like that happen to me fairly often. If only it did with things like lottery numbers.
ReplyDeleteI'll tell you why your bubbie needed white chalk - its an old fashioned treatment for schmutz!
ReplyDeleteLets say that she has Gittie over for lunch and something greasy dribbled on the table cloth. You would put a clean cloth or towel (NOT THAT PAPER TOWELS! Do you think I'm made of money?) under the table cloth, coat both sidfes with white chalk, let it sit, and then launder. The white chalk soaks up the grease and softens the fibers so the laundry soap can get the rest out. But now we use detergents with grease cutters and not many people know about chalk.
And she put in the box to keep it from spreading dust.
And that, Mr. Smartypants, is why your Bubbie had a box white chalk.
very cute stu. no doubt you are probably right EXCEPT for the part about gittie being invited over for food. grammy did not do that. ever. she went out...with her purse and her ever present bel-airs.
ReplyDelete