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Anyway the highlight of those school days were spent wandering the wondrous landscape of Baltimore’s then newly renovated Inner Harbor. I pretty much walked all of Baltimore’s south and east side. I remember fondly “fresh fish” at Lexington Market, walking through Camden Yards when it was still a stock yard. I have walked through Cherry Hill (at that time one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in the city), watched freight at Locust Point, did tavern hopping in Fells Point, been to the Science Center countless times. Hung out at Steadman House my step father at the time worked across the street at a print shop on Eutaw. Visited Poe’s grave, ate at Johns Hopkins “cafeteria“. been to the top of the old USF&G building, visited the aquarium on opening day, watched the movie “dinner” being filmed at Hollywood diner (then it was on Charles st.). Pig, bull and oyster roasts in “Pigtown”. Ate dinner in Lil’ Itly (as we would say), lunch at the mickey dees in Canton and the “Heights” (the famed “white marble steps” like you see in the movie Hairspray) and had breakfast each morning at the donut shop on Pratt st. across from RETS (although it was called something else then). My ride home was with my step father (we rode in together each day) so I would get out at 2pm and he left at 5:30 or 6. So I killed time in the afternoons at the library when I would read old Mencken articles for kicks. I would also kill time making circuits in the RETS tv lab (they had night classes so they were open late) which saw me out gathering parts from the Radio Shack on Calvert. Or sometimes I would collect comics atSie roulette spielen stattdessen gegen andere Poker Spieler, die aus der ganzen Welt zusammenkommen, um ihr Glück und ihre Poker Fähigkeiten auszuprobieren. Lexington Market or Geppi’s. Occasionally I would hang out at “Bean-o” or take the bus up to Waverly and browse some of the weird Russian,
conspiracy theory book stores found there or along St. Paul, Cathedral st. or Howard streets which would take you through “The Block”. I avoided that place unless I had to get a sausage from Pollack Johnny’s. Finally twice I actually walked out all the way from Federal Hill to Ft. McHenry. But out of all these absolutely cool memories I have the absolute best was the rich aroma waffling over from the McCormick plant on Light St.. Anyway that smell coming from Sea World this morning. It brought back all those memories. Someone once told me that the nose is the most powerful sense we have to recall memories. I truly believe that.

By the way in my research for this trip down memory lane I came across this page that beautifully illustrates the area I have been talking about 70 years ago.

“Science has learned a good deal in recent years about the habits and requirements of introverts. It has even learned, by means of brain scans, that introverts process information differently from other people (I am not making this up). If you are behind the curve on this important matter, be reassured that you are not alone. Introverts may be common, but they are also among the most misunderstood and aggrieved groups in America, possibly the world.

Anyone who has known me for more than 5 minutes knows I am introverted. All my life I have second guessed and third-guessed (and so on…) “why oh why do I not fit in with others”! I found this part of the article reassuring:

“In contrast, after an hour or two of being socially “on,” we introverts need to turn off and recharge. My own formula is roughly two hours alone for every hour of socializing. This isn’t antisocial. It isn’t a sign of depression. It does not call for medication. For introverts, to be alone with our thoughts is as restorative as sleeping, as nourishing as eating. Our motto: “I’m okay, you’re okay—in small doses.”

So introverts you need not feel out of place any longer!