deliriouslove1970. The life & times of Gary and Denise Flanders. (Free and worth every penny. If you would like to compliment the editor, send to garytheflan@deliriouslove1970.com. If you would like to complain, call your mother.)

Entry 1

It is only right that I write this.  After all I was there for the whole thing.  And, sadly to say, I am the only one remaining.  Bonnie hated the store, it took her family away from her.  I loved the store, it was my lover and companion for 10 years.  At most points there was nothing that could compete with Flanders Music.  It held my attention and connected me to an exciting world that was a long distance before the store.

The other great advantage: it is ‘legal’, for me, to utilize my best embellishment skills.  It is also understandable and  completely adorable to practice selective memory skills that I have honed for many years of trial and error.  As I once told a class of PHD students from Colorado State University as I was guiding them around the Denver Zoo:  “Those things I don’t know, I am proud to make-up”  The same applies here.  A little juicing up will make the story that much better.

I always thought I had a great advantage over other people not as fortunate as me – I could always remember how old I was because I was born in a convenient year:  1950.  That’s easy to calculate until you get into the 2010’s when it can get a little dicey.  2015 was tough for a while, but I overcame.

I was 10 years old in 1960 when President Kennedy was elected.  I still have a faded 4 inch round button with his face on it that says: “Elect Kennedy President.”  It was also that 10th year that my family moved from the East side of Ann Arbor to the West side of Ann Arbor.  We went from a dirt road with tons of character and interesting houses with interesting people in them to a new modern suburb part of town.  All the streets were paved and the dogs polite.  I missed my dirt road and my nice little school house.