I had an enjoyable Monroe, Oregon dream last night. I was about a block up from Grandpa's pool hall and 'up' is an apt description because anybody walking in a westerly direction in Monroe will be walking up a slight slope. (The main street in Monroe (Fifth Street) that runs north and south and borders the Long Tom River, is level.)
I came upon a very old man who was slouched up against a light pole. Oh fun, I thought to myself. This could be a person who might have actually visited the pool hall.
I walked up to him and said, "Excuse me for asking sir, but are you from around these parts?"
"I've come and gone." he answered.
"Oh, I see." I said. "I was just curious if you ever visited the old pool hall that used to sit down there at the corner of Orchard and Fifth Street."
Hibby's?" he asked. "Sure, I've been there lots of time. Why, I was there one afternoon when Hef stopped by. He was trying to find places that would sell his magazine."
"Hef, as in Hefner?" I asked.
The old man didn't answer me. He pointed up the street and asked what I thought of the train depot. I looked to where he was pointing and saw a glowing, golden rendition of the old train depot that used to sit behind my grandparent's house. (
https://ellgab.com/index.php?topic=91.msg96205#msg96205) It looked bigger though, like a sprawling mansion and it must have covered about four full sized lots.
"Wow." I said. "Where did that building come from?"
"It was always there," the old man answered.
"But what about the depot that was down by the tracks?" I asked. "The one behind Hibby's house?"
"Oh, the little one." he said. "That small depot was just a segment of the big one. They just sliced her off one day and moved her on down the hill. Long, long time ago. Way back in the 1930s."
Well, it made sense to me at the time because I was dreaming. It didn't occur to me that there was never any set of railroad tracks up there on the hillside.
