Growing Up Glendale
Growing Up Glendale is a true story of one boy’s life as he experiences every day in a small New England village. Through his eyes, you meet all the residents, and learn of the events that made the village a magical place to be. The story winds through time as the boy grows and learns all that the village has to offer. It is a village where everyone knows your name and your dog’s name. The village had a two-room schoolhouse, one market, one restaurant, one gas station, two churches, a volunteer fire company, a textile mill, and several dogs. You will also witness the gradual decline of the village as local institutions close and neighborhood events stop. This is when the magic dies and the village becomes just a place to sleep.
Many events would be repeatedly discussed through the years. They
included the dramatic rescue of several boys trapped on an island in the middle of the river after their boat went over the dam during a flood.
There was the meteor that streaked through the night sky over the ball field, causing panic in the village. Then there was the day when three junior firemen (high school kids) saved a burning apartment building owned by the fire chief when no regular firemen were available to fight the fire. And there was the time during Halloween when a group of high school kids were stopped by the police with a car full of stolen pumpkins and the officer let them go. For those who remember these special times, they all say the magic has been gone for many years. Also gone are those special people who made the village an extended family.