Those Winter Evenings On the Far Eastside

Those winter evenings on the Far Eastside- remembered still for the aromas of potatoes frying and coal smoke- intermingled in the crisp twilight air. At just about dusk, every evening, all up and down the street- coal burning furnaces would be stoked and housewives would begin preparing the evening meal- all it would seem frying potatoes- as back then fried potatoes were a staple- and coal heat was still the norm. All up and down the block, we kids would disappear from sight- because we all knew- when the chimneys began to smoke and that aroma filled the air- it was time to go inside- we didn’t have to be called. If one has never experienced the mixed aromas of potatoes frying and coal smoke- it really is quite unique, and even still, either one brings memories of winter evenings- on the Far Eastside.