Where Time Slows

Danville, Illinois, is not just another small town in Illinois; it's a place where memories

are made, from taking your first steps to celebrating your 50th birthday. I’ve been there so many

times that I have memorized the route by heart the second we enter the town. While many of the

buildings sit quietly empty and the streets are often free, the people you do encounter greet you

with genuine smiles. They carry themselves with a quiet joy that keeps the old town of Danville

alive.

As we entered the town, I found myself looking around at all the familiar places we went

to growing up. First was Royal Donut, its big, bright pink shop with the colorful van parked out

front, covered in pictures of every kind of donut they sell. It brought back the sweet memory of

my grandpa treating us with donuts our first morning there. Next, we passed Jocko's Pizza Inn,

where we would have dinner during some of our visits. Jocko’s is a memorable place, not just

because of the pizza, but also for the miniature train that circled the ceiling of the restaurant.

Every time we went, I would ask my grandpa for a quarter so I could make the train go. The

whole place would fill with laughter and the joy a small town can hold. Finally, we passed the

famous Custard Cup Ice Cream Shop where we would end our nights with cups of ice cream

mixed with our favorite candies called blizzards. As we turned into the neighborhood, the

familiar houses came into view. Even the vultures circling above a few houses are oddly a

comforting reminder of things that will stay the same.

We begin to pull into the driveway and I find myself reflecting on the big, beautiful home

where my mother and her siblings once grew up, and think about how little time this home has

left. My thoughts shift to when I will see my grandmother's lovely face and give her a hug.

I take the first few steps into the home and I make my way into the kitchen where I begin

to remember all the joyous memories from the Christmas holiday spent with my extended family.

I remember our laughter echoing as we played Christmas trivia during breakfast where my mom

and grandmother's sister cheerfully quizzed us about holiday traditions. My little cousins would

burst into giggles whenever someone gave a wrong answer, filling the room with high energy.

Although we’ve been to the Danville house many many times, my brother and I still tour the

house, as if it was our first time, and reminisce about the memories made in each room. We make

our way to the basement where I recall blowing up air mattresses with my cousins, jumping on

them, and finally having a nice slumber party at grandmas. I quickly move towards the living

room where I remember the many card games that my cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents

take part in. Every night after dinner, the whole family would sit on the floor of the living room,

while some classic movies or songs play in the background, and play rounds upon rounds of

bluff which would leave my grandparents filled with laughter.