TO THE EDITOR,
Your column is enjoyable to me each week, but if you do not apologize for your adolescent behavior, you have lost your credibility with me.
MARY

Dear Mary,
Apologize for what, exactly? “Your adolescent behavior” covers 40 years of my adventures. If you are referring to the March 6 incident at Maumee Valley Country Day School (MVCDS), apologize to whom?
MVCDS students? I’ve done that.
MVCDS administrators? I’ve done that.
My employer? I’ve done that.
Or do you mean apologize to judgmental people like you with no true picture of what happened that morning?
Tell you what, Mary; the next time you make a mistake, assuming you walk among us mortals and make mistakes, we’ll write a skewed, fact-twisted, fabricated-quote version of the incident designed to make you look bad and embarrass your employer, and you can walk around for a week apologizing and trying to set the record straight. When you call us to protest, we’ll blow you off and let you figure out how to handle it for the public. Then, more than two weeks later, we’ll run a wishy-washy, 2,000-word analysis piece that lacks the spine and heart to assign responsibility but further muddies the waters. Then, I’ll judge you and write you with a demand for an apology and ultimatum on your credibility.
Wear those shoes, Mary, before you write to me with any demands for apology.
Thank you for the kind words about the column.
MM

TO THE EDITOR,
My submission [for the “Song of Toledo” contest] is attached. Word on the street and with my sources is that you’ve already picked your winner prior to the contest commencement. I hope you take the time to listen to my song and all the others out of respect for our craft. We can do better on our MySpace pages. More exposure.
ANITA

Dear Anita,
Wow. I’ve heard of sour grapes after a contest, but before it even starts? For what it’s worth, your “sources” are fools, liars or a dangerous combination of the two.
With eight judges — including two elected officials — three media partners and several high-profile sponsors, such as Michigan International Speedway (MIS) and Columbia Gas involved, there is no way a rigged or fixed contest would be tolerated. Once all the submissions are in, CDs will be sent to the judges, who will independently listen to the songs and then rank them. All that feedback, plus a public vote from the Toledo Free Press and FOX Toledo Web sites, will determine a top five.
From there, the judges will be asked to pick their favorite song, and we’ll reach a consensus.
I haven’t been to your MySpace page, but if it gets you more exposure than our contest — City of Toledo/Lucas County Song of the Year designation; studio recording time at Strawberry Fields Recording Studio; appearance on a FOX Toledo segment; exposure on 106.5 The Zone; a Toledo Free Press profile, a stage slot at the “Smoke on the Water/Ribs for the Red Cross” concert; and a stage slot at an MIS concert, opening for a national act — then you have one heck of a MySpace page.
Entries are being accepted through noon on April 3; details are here.
MM

TO THE EDITOR,
Did you pay the fine on your red-light camera ticket?
STEVE

Dear Steve,
My intention was to not pay the fine, and to report and write about the process as it proceeded, to see how far the collection efforts would go on what many feel is a legally uncollectible fine. But the week after the Feb. 1 column about the camera hearing, I received a phone call from someone who said they overheard a conversation in which “making an example” referred to my public declaration of noncompliance. My wife and I decided that playing chicken with the City of Toledo over a $120 fine was not the most prudent action. So, fine paid.
Henry David Thoreau, I’m not.
MM

TO THE EDITOR,
As I began reading the March 15 guest column by Dean Sparks, “Fathers, step up,” I thought I might be able to pick up some tips for my husband, Roger. Reading through each of the suggestions, I thought to myself, “Wow, he already does that.”
My son Jackson, who is now 2, is indeed a lucky little boy to have the wonderful daddy whom he does, and I know there are others. He is always up for an outdoor adventure of stalking a neighborhood cat or changing the nastiest of diapers. Let’s hear it for the good guys and the great dads! It’s about time they got some good press.
LISA LAWSON-LaPOINTE, Bowling Green

Dear Lisa,
Amen.
MM

Michael S. Miller is editor in chief of Toledo Free Press. Contact him at mmiller@toledofreepress.com.

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northwest Ohio is celebrating its 25th year granting wishes in the Toledo area with annual events and fundraising opportunities for the community.
Melissa Rozic, special event coordinator, said Make-A-Wish of Northwest Ohio works to grant the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions in 21 counties.

Melissa Rozic

“We serve kids between 2 and a half and 18 with life-threatening illnesses,” Rozic said. “Anything they wish for, we try to provide for them. It’s an entirely cost-free experience for the wish child and their family.”
Last year, the organization granted 85 wishes, and Rozic said this year it would be close to that number again.
Make-A-Wish plans the wishes as soon as the children are referred, and it takes an average of six months to grant them.
Rozic said Make-A-Wish of Northwest Ohio hosts three major events each year, along with fundraisers hosted by people in the community who wish to support the organization. Rozic said the nonprofit receives calls from people who want to hold an event, such as a golf outing or raffle and average 70 fundraisers a year.
The three major events hosted by Make-A-Wish take place in the spring, fall and winter.
Walk for Wishes will take place May 17 at Olander Park in Sylvania. Rozic said people can show up and walk or plan in advance and collect donations for Make-A-Wish. There will be activities at the park for families, such as zoo animals, clowns and inflatable toys.
“There will be something for everyone,” Rozic said.
A wine-tasting event will take place at the end of September or beginning of October, Rozic said, and feature 10 restaurants from Levis Commons and 100 different varieties of wine.
Make-A-Wish’s biggest event, a sports auction at the SeaGate Centre, takes place in February each year, where 300 sports-related items are auctioned.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary, Rozic is planning a large, one-time event in November.
Throughout the year, Make-A-Wish emphasizes the Kids for Wish Kids program, Rozic said, where school kids work to host a fundraiser for a wish kid and his or her wish.
People can volunteer at Make-A-Wish as a wish granter volunteer or an event volunteer and help at fundraisers and events.
“The wish-granter volunteers interact with the wish families and the wish child and help the child as they determine what their one true wish is,” Rozic said.
For information call the Make-A-Wish office at (419) 244-WISH.

On the web: visit www.northwestohio.wish.org and click on links for more.

Events: Pluto retrograde in Capricorn (4th); the Kolisko Effect (anti-blending planetary clash on the 3rd & 4th)

Aries: Generosity of strangers. A hidden problem comes to light early this week. Words ricochet back and forth, and feelings shift abruptly on Friday. Approach weekend conversations with great caution, and avoid battles. Mutual cooperation flows more easily next week.

Taurus: Satisfy the gatekeeper. Behind-the-scenes activity keeps you hopping this week. Paperwork or caretaking responsibilities increase after Wednesday. People struggle with tension and frustration as the weekend approaches. Tolerance and forgiveness are necessities.

Gemini: Fact finding expedition. The week begins with a sluggish, fuzzy atmosphere. But action levels roar to the point of excess after Tuesday. Ingredients don’t blend or gel properly as the weekend arrives, and neither do people on opposite sides of a conflict.

Cancer: Assemble puzzle pieces. Take a moment to pause and consider on Monday; things aren’t as they seem. A personal issue reemerges on Wednesday with higher stakes. Mobility may be limited in some way as the weekend arrives; if not, drive with extreme caution.

Leo: Conservation efforts. This week may bring about extreme changes in relationships or income matters. Continue to seek points of flexibility and negotiation. If your intentions are set, no one can influence you, or sway you from drastic measures or dramatic responses.

Virgo: Completely full. The flow of people, money, and ideas changes directions this week. Abrupt flip-flops may seem senseless and pointless, and cause overflows after Thursday. Ride out weekend storms and furies; tranquility and good sense will be restored next week.

Libra: The white knight. Keep eyes and ears open this week, and attend to warning signs or omens. Blind spots are vulnerable. Confrontations, storms, or turbulent outbreaks are possible after Thursday. Be observant and prepared, and above all, remain calm.

Scorpio: Silence is golden. This week brings critical turning points, major events, and endings. The merit or unpleasantness of these is an individual matter. Unregulated emotions, hormones, or natural forces are provoked as the weekend arrives; call time-outs if necessary.

Sagittarius: Land of the lost. Discover the differences between courage and bravado, caution and fear. Limits and boundaries are permeable this week, both internal and external. Once breached, strengths and weaknesses are clear. Be ready for a speedy learning curve.

Capricorn: The whoopsie factor. You are apt to have noise and disruption around home this week, but this may be a side effect of creative chaos. Decisions and events with lasting impact occur after Thursday. Drive cautiously and apply common sense to prevent injuries.

Aquarius: Adamant refusal. Monday messages could be scrambled; clarify before acting. After Wednesday, tools or methods are tested for viability, but not everything functions as expected. This is the crossroad: choose to improve, or cast everything away in a fit of temper.

Pisces: Information central. There is a fine line between sense and nonsense this week, and it may be hard to sort out the issues of greatest importance when emotions are scrambled. Clarity comes on Friday, and brings shocks, disruptions, or wake-up calls in its wake.

Neighbors in Sylvania are being asked for their opinion on three new school buildings, which boast a price tag of more than $39 million.
District officials said the new elementary buildings — set to replace the 1920s and 30s-built Hill View, Maplewood and Central — will meet new educational guidelines, while public input will shape their designs.
“The focus [of these projects] is designing three new buildings by involving internal people: teachers and architects and parents on design teams,” said Bradley Rieger, Sylvania Schools superintendent.
“We want to get the people in those schools, and who live here, to decide the curb appeal.”
But the community meetings that took place March 18 and 19, as well as others anticipated in the coming months, give residents a voice on more than brick color. The number of floors, the building’s placement on the land, as well as the overall architectural theme of the building — be it classic or contemporary — are mostly their choices.
At the forums, the planning teams will offer a look at illustrations of possible designs. On those printed proposals, guests may ask questions, show support or make suggestions on how the plans could be improved.
Discussion facilitator Joseph Kunkle, the SSOE planner and architect of the new schools, said the primary concern of neighbors is that the reconstructed schools resemble their surrounding infrastructure.
“For example, Maplewood has a municipal corridor architectural design,” he said. “All of the buildings along that corridor have that look of red colonial with white trim,” he said, “Whereas Hill View is more of a residential setting.
“We want to confirm our approach in the design with the people.”
SSOE is the architectural firm responsible for several new Toledo Public School buildings; the John F. Savage Arena and Charles A. Sullivan Athletic Complex, formerly the University of Toledo’s Savage Hall; and the new United Way facilities Downtown.
Kunkle’s work almost exclusively centers on building projects for elementary schools to universities. He said the new Sylvania schools will be ADA compliant, feature updated heating and plumbing and double the classroom sizes, therefore eliminating the need for the four portable classrooms and two-room annex currently in use outside the old buildings.
The cost of the new construction, as well as renovations in the district’s nine other schools, will be covered through the 2.89-mill, 28-year bond levy passed in November. In totall, the school system is planning about $79 million in districtwide renewal projects.
Hill View Principal Adam Fineske, like other school administration and staff, said he is eagerly awaiting a reprieve from overcrowding and urgent repairs. Recently, Fineske and his staff were forced to fill buckets of water to flush toilets on the second and third floors of their building.
For many, the image doesn’t sync well with that of a school district rated “Excellent with Distinction” by the Ohio Department of Education.
The new buildings, Fineske said, will benefit everyone.
Officials said construction on Hill View and Maplewood schools could begin as early as this summer. Meanwhile, planners are still seeking new space for Central Elementary’s replacement, as the high-traffic intersection of West Central Avenue and North King Road has been deemed too hazardous to rebuild there.
Rieger said the schools will open their doors by late 2011 and early 2012.
To view the district’s 2008 master plan, find forum dates or to get involved in the planning, visit the Web site www.sylvaniaschools.org.

After months and years of waiting, it appears that the pinnacle of this inflation cycle is finally about to arrive, and it’s coming with a vengeance. The January wholesale prices were released earlier this month, seeing their highest levels since July.
And right on cue, since the beginning of 2009 commodities seem to be resuming an upward trend — ahead of any other sector.
Many may have noticed that lately gold has made headlines as it continues to push higher against resistance at the $1,000 level. Recently gold has seen a surge in worldwide demand as investors flock to traditional safe havens and inflation-hedges.
Since touching $1,000, it has pulled back slightly in what we consider to be a healthy correction, while still maintaining its overall upward trend, and we are confident it will continue higher still due to continuing demand.
We also see developing a particularly interesting phenomenon in currency markets known as “competitive devaluations,” where every major country systematically reduces the value of its currency in order to increase the value of its exports in order to increase its GDP. While this means that currency exchange rates may fluctuate wildly, every major currency will ultimately lose value relative to hard assets like gold and natural resources. With this in mind, and also considering the geopolitical events occurring in the world today (Iran, North Korea, Israel, Greece, Russia), we remain confident that oil will follow gold significantly higher. In fact, in just the past week crude has begun to show elevated strength, due in part to unexpectedly lower inventory numbers.
Based on our analysis, these opportunities that we see in hard assets including gold and oil look the best going forward. While we know that so far this year news on the economy hasn’t been good, we talk to a lot of people and have lately seen significant evidence that a bottom seems to be building in the market. Even though lately the market seems to have started a building a base, this doesn’t mean that it can’t go lower. However, our belief that the market is at or near a long-term bottom has further contributed to our continued belief that oil is underpriced. We have reason to believe the negative news in the economy is being overplayed for political reasons and that once oil starts up it will be hard to stop. While it is unlikely that oil will be returning to $140/barrel anytime soon, $40/barrel is simply too low to sustain.
We have argued before, and we maintain that today’s economic conditions, however dire, aren’t unprecedented. Furthermore, this is not even close to being a repeat of the 1930s. If you think otherwise, take a half hour to speak with someone who grew up in that period and I assure you that you will experience a change in perspective.
As we have said before, there are many more similarities between this period and 1973-’74 or 1981-’82. This recession, despite the headlines, is about as bad as the recession of ’81-’82, while the socioeconomic and geopolitical similarities with the mid ’70s are striking.
Yet another aspect of this crisis that is surprisingly unoriginal is the number of fraud cases that are coming to light. Unfortunately these too, are not anything new. In every financial crisis over the last century, mistakes (both criminal and otherwise) that were covered during good times were often exposed on the way down. We are reminded of the saying by Will Rogers: “I am not so concerned with the return on capital as I am with the return of capital.” The wave of criminal cases emerging is precisely why we urge investors, clients or not, to work with advisors that never take physical possession of their assets, as this is the easiest way to protect against criminal wrongdoing. In light of recent market turmoil, we also suggest that investors give serious thought about where they go to have questions answered. In looking at financial professionals comparatively, give careful consideration to who conducts economic research and who relies on glossy paper.

Dock David Treece and Dock Treece are stockbrokers licensed with FINRA. They work for Treece Financial Services Corp., www.TreeceInvestments.com. The above information is the express opinions of Dock David Treece and Dock Treece and should not be used without outside verification. At the time this article was written, both Dock David Treece and Dock Treece owned interests in companies that produce both oil and precious metals, or service companies that do.

Spring is in the air and art will soon be in full bloom at the Paula Brown Gallery. On March 28, the gallery will be welcoming back an old friend, Perrysburg photo collage artist Glenn Osborn.
Osborn, who will be showcasing both his “FloraFemme” and “Guardian” projects, previously exhibited his work at the gallery for the one-man show “Warrior Brides” in 2007. Known primarily for his photographs of flowers, he has exhibited his work at a number of different venues, including the Toledo Area Artists Exhibition at the Toledo Museum of Art, where he won Best of Show Award in 2007.
In addition to his photography, Osborn is also a noted freelance writer and designer. He is the founder of the Scrawl: The Writers Asylum, which functions as a collaborative workshop for writers. He has also served as Managing Editor and Designer of the site’s online magazine the Story Garden and is the author of the “PhotoFiction” column at www.pixiport.com. He is the owner of the website design firm www.HandsOnWebsites.com.

Osborn first began taking nature photography in the 1970s. According to the artist statement for Osborn’s coffee table book “100 Blossoms”, “I was drawn to flowers in particular, but also to mushrooms, the textures of tree bark and the colors of stones.”

Shooting primarily in the gardens at the 577 Foundation near his home in Perrysburg, Osborn has accumulated more than 3,000 photographs of flowers. After a photo is taken, Osborn’s composition process requires him to remove every part of the original image except the blossom itself. He can then digitally manipulate an image creating a montage on his computer. Osborn is currently collecting pieces from his “Guardians” series for use in a children’s book titled “Scary Flowers.”
“My primary criterion for a composition are color and shape of the flowers,” Osborn said. “The images are ‘unreal’ in that I pay no regard to such issues as the relative size of the blossoms, the season of their blooming or the location of their growth. What’s important to me is the compositional concept: the compatible arrangement of form and color into the final image.”
The reception for the exhibition will run from 5:30 to 8pm and is free and open to the public. The Paula Brown Gallery is located at 912 Monroe Street.
For more information, call (419) 241-2822 or visit www.paulabrownshop.com.

Jessica Newton of Oregon is about to get her wish granted of attending the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards. She just has one more wish.
The Rascal Flatts fan hopes to spend time with the band members, who play one of her favorite songs, “My Wish.” She met the band for two minutes in Cincinnati a few years ago.

Jessica Newton

Newton, 18, and her family leave for Las Vegas April 1. The all-expense paid trip for her mom, dad and two younger sisters is being provided through Make-A-Wish Foundation of Northwest Ohio.
“That is her wish to be able to try to meet them while we are there, but going to the awards is a pretty good deal so we will take that,” said her mom Josephine Newton.
Jessica was born with a congenital heart defect, later suffering from two strokes that caused her to have physical and developmental delays.
When she was 4 months old, she underwent a procedure to correct a portion of her heart and had a stroke. When she was 9 months old, she was in and out of the hospital and went into cardiac arrest, causing the second stroke.
“She was 1 year old and couldn’t hold her head up … they didn’t even expect her to be able to talk or do anything on her own, and she does fairly well,” Josephine said.
Jessica can speak, except when she decides to be shy. She wouldn’t answer too many questions, but made her family laugh when she talked about getting her own award during the country music show.
The trip will include staying at MGM Grand Hotel/Casino, sitting in on rehearsals, as well as attending parties that will include the likes of Kellie Pickler, Matt Stillwell and LeAnn Rimes.
On the night of the show, Toby Keith, Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Heidi Newfield, Rascal Flatts, Sugarland and Taylor Swift will grace the ACM stage. The ceremony will be broadcast LIVE from MGM GRAND 8 p.m. April 5 on CBS.
Sue Koester, a volunteer for Make-A-Wish, said this wish is a little bit more of big deal because only one wish child per year gets to attend the show. Jessica will be showered with attention, although many of the details are kept secret until the family arrives, she said.
When Koester first met Jessica in September 2007, the teen told her she wanted to have Rascal Flatts over for a cookout. Because that wasn’t possible, she settled on the concert.
“She has been packed since the first of the year,” Koester said, laughing.

The late Billy Joe Smith was born and raised in Toledo. He attended UT and Marquette University majoring in broadcasting. After graduating he started Hobbs and Smith, an advertising and PR firm. Then came an opportunity to help start a paving business. There was only one minority-owned paving company in Northwest Ohio at the time.
Smith partnered with Brent Gerkin and started Ebony Construction in 1986. Seventeen years later he won a coveted Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award. That was in June, 2003. Billy Joe died a month later. His daughter Amy has followed in her father’s footsteps.
Billy Joe was a friend of mine. He was soft spoken with a gentle manner. We had adjoining offices for a few years in a building at 29 South Erie Street … that orange brick place where the Trail ends at Erie. It overflowed with creativity, inhabited by people chasing their dreams.
Before he left to co-found Ebony, Billy Joe encouraged me to write a song for a local youth group. I called it “WE ARE THE FUTURE”. Ten years later the song inspired me to start NTR, National Teen Radio.
The idea was a show where teenagers could call in anonymously and share what was on their mind and then exchange ideas with other teens who would be invited to call in from around the country. The only ground rules were no bad language and no screaming. Talk intelligently, take turns, be polite, exchange ideas, disagree but don’t lose control.

Potential advertisers told me NTR was an admirable idea, but nobody was willing to sponsor it. Everybody wanted to be the first to buy the second one so to speak – after the show was established and there was no risk involved.

NTR was never meant to be a generation bridge. It was meant to be sovereign territory for young adults with older adults being able only to listen in … and in the process do some learning of our own.

This concept still has never been done on a large scale. Our children don’t have a platform to speak out in this way, yet we adults have endless opportunities to speak our minds … and too often we do it by screaming.

Limelight America is going to give the NTR concept a second change when we introduce a new segment devoted to what kids have to say.

I was concerned the word “teen” might not be politically correct, but when I asked our first guest Ben – you’re gonna love Ben – he said just the opposite. Teenage-hood is a new plateau, a benchmark that leaves all that child’s play behind.

Sooner or later though we all miss the kid stuff, which brings to mind another song I wrote a long time ago called “TEN AGAIN” – “I’m not sure where I’m going, but I sure know where I’ve been, what I wouldn’t give to be ten again.”

Listen to Limelight America on Fox Sports Radio 1230 WCWA, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday 5-6 pm and online at www.limelightamerica.com.

Michael Drew Shaw may be contacted at mds@limelightamerica.com.

I get many questions from readers regarding their automotive related concerns and I thought I would share a few with you.
We will start with Stu from Oregon, who wants to know if his vehicle can really adapt to the way he drives.
The answer is yes, Stu, your vehicle does continuously adapt to changing conditions as you drive. This ability to adapt as you drive is referred to by technicians as “adaptive strategy.” The adaptive strategy process is simply a set of instructions programmed into your vehicles power train management systems on-board computer that enables the computer to change fuel delivery and spark timing commands in order to accommodate for the changing environmental or mechanical conditions that can affect engine performance. This reprogramming of your vehicle happens as you drive.
Actually, vehicles have had this capability for a long time now. Of course newer vehicles do a better job of adapting to the constantly changing environmental and mechanical conditions then did older vehicles.
Modern vehicles also have the ability to adapt transmission shift schedules to meet driver habits and varying environmental parameters as well. This adaptive capability is accomplished much in the same manner as was mentioned above.
Both these adaptive capabilities can be performed by your power train management computer either for a short term shift in operational parameters or for a long term shift in those same parameters. It only depends on the conditions your vehicles on-board computer sensors detect regarding monitored environmental and mechanical parameters.
You should be aware that after a battery change those adaptive parameters will be lost within your computers memory and you may notice a difference in the way your vehicle operates until your on-board computer relearns those sensed parameters.
The next question comes from Lora from Toledo who wants to know about a whining or screeching sound only when she turns right with her front wheel drive car. Lora the problem is most likely in the front left wheel bearing of your car. When you turn right you throw the weight of the vehicle to the left which is loading the bearing. This additional load is causing the bearing to squeal. Had you noticed a clicking sound on turns then we may have had issues with the axle shaft constant velocity joint.
Art, also from Toledo, wants to know if he takes his vehicle into the dealership if they will wait for the engine to cool before they replace his spark plugs. Apparently Art read my column on replacing spark plugs a few weeks back and is concerned that the servicing dealership may damage his heads by not allowing the engine to cool properly before they remove his spark plugs. Not to worry Art, your servicing dealership employs Master technicians who are aware of the problems associated with removing spark plugs from a cold engine. Be advised however that if your spark plugs have been in your engine for a long time they may still be difficult for the technician to remove.
Art also mentioned that he was going to have the dealership replace his stock spark plugs with platinum plugs. You should talk to the dealership and make sure that Subaru recommends the switch to platinum. Not all manufacturers promote the use of platinum plugs in their engines.
Finally, Kyle from Sylvania is restoring a classic Chevrolet and wondered about replacing the breaker point ignition system with an electronic ignition system. Kyle is concerned that the value of the vehicle will be diminished with the upgraded ignition system.
Kyle, you stated in your e-mail that you were planning on driving the vehicle for awhile after you get it restored. The electronic ignition upgrade will give you much better service in the field then could ever be achieved by the mechanical breaker point ignition system it has in it now. I definitely suggest you perform this upgrade. If you are concerned about the decreased value of the vehicle because of upgraded ignition system then simply keep the old distributer and replace it before you sell the car.
I am always happy to take your questions and will make every effort to respond to them in a timely manner.
For those readers among you who would like to improve your “auto sense,” I suggest you take our fundamental automotive classes here at Owens Community College. Registration for the summer semester is now open. Regardless of your experience or gender we would love to have you. Contact our registration office at (567) 661-7000 for more information.

Nick Shultz is an instructor of Automotive Technologies at Owens Community College. He is an arbitrator for the Better Business Bureau who specializes in cases involving the Ohio and Michigan Lemon laws. He is a certified master automotive technician by ASE, General Motors and Ford Motor Co. Shultz, a Toledo native, will take questions from letters@toledofreepress.com.

When I read that Southwyck was being torn down, it initially registered as the finalization of just another local commercial casualty. However, it didn’t take long for memories of the once-thriving mall to surface and make me realize that I’m really going to miss the place.
When I was a child, Southwyck meant a great deal to me and my family. My grandma was a regular there for many years.  She didn’t spend much money on merchandise, but she instead became somewhat of a living fixture – a part of the mall itself. Many of her days were spent riding the TARTA bus from her little apartment to her second home at Southwyck to spend a long day of coffee drinking and chain smoking in the corner coffee shop.
It was always a thrill when I would have the opportunity to tag along with her on the big bus and take part in her daily meanderings. The TARTA bus ride was a treat in itself.  How exciting it was to be the one to drop the dimes into the coin slot and hear that familiar clinking sound as each one landed.  How fascinating it was to see the hustle and bustle of downtown on the days we would detour our trip just for the fun of it.  How lucky I was to be taken along for the ride.

No matter where else we decided to wander to in Toledo, Southwyck always remained our number one destination. I can still remember the feeling of running up and down the carpeted steps, tossing a coin in the fountain, taking a spin on the carousel and sucking down an Orange Julius. And then there was Olde Towne. If I could transport myself to a place that no longer physically exists, it would perhaps be there. As an adult I likely would see it as just another part of the mall, but as a child the tunnel-like entrance and vintage theming were enough to convince me that we had discovered a hidden piece of kid heaven from yesteryear.
It is amazing to realize the little things that children must observe in their every day and tuck away as memories. I can remember seemingly obscure details from my days exploring the halls of Southwyck, things I would never consider my own children taking note of during excursions to our own current stomping grounds.
There was something almost magical about the carousel of pay phones that took center stage near the entrance. Extra special were the days that we had occasion to use one or that we found a quarter someone else had forgotten. Such subtleties of my Southwyck days still fill the seldom-visited corners of my mind: the golden lions guarding Lion Store, the pudding cups with whipped cream and a cherry on top at the Forum Cafeteria, a wooden donation box on the counter of Frisch’s Big Boy marked “Little Sisters of the Poor.” Individually such things seem insignificant now, but the memories of them combine to give that period in my life importance.
Those days spent with my grandma on the TARTA bus and at Southwyck Mall were important. They not only left me with fond memories but also offered me a few life lessons along the way. We didn’t just sit on a bus or in a coffee shop wasting the day away.  We watched people, talked to people and talked to one another. No one was ever too good, too bad or too different to strike up a conversation with. Nothing was ever too dull to chat about. My grandma was spending the day taking care of me and I was spending it taking care of her.
When my Grandma Purdy died in 1988, part of me wanted to somehow memorialize her at Southwyck. I thought that we could just hang a little sign somewhere within its walls to let the world know that that was the corner of the world where she had left her essence. It’s odd to think that such a sign would now be gone too.
At first it feels impossible that someone or something of enduring significance could ever be physically gone forever, but that is the reality we are forced to accept over and over throughout life. I am quite certain that there was something that preceded Southwyck that someone else just hated to see go in order to build an over sized place to shop. There will be something after Southwyck and another something after that.
Each generation needs to take the good times and life lessons away from its own places of significance. We also need to accept when the rest of the world is ready to take us in a new direction.

Shannon Szyperski and her husband Michael are raising two children in Sylvania. E-mail her at letters@toledofreepress.com.