Decline and fall of civilization

Today our local reports that Terra Toys is being forced out of business by high rents on South Congress. Terra Toys was a pioneer on South Congress, joining Allens Boots (still there) and the Feed and Seed store, which gave way to Curra's. Terra Toys before that pioneered the stretch on Congress downtown that used to be a row of "bum bars" frequented by the inmates of the old Alamo Hotel and other SRO outfits. They'd go in to receive and cash (or just cash) their VA and other monthy checks. I think their building there was torn down. It gets to be difficult to remember. We used to buy our Lone Star garden seeds at the feed store; others bought their chicks there. We still miss the poultry that used to be across the side street for so many years. We gave away a lot of wooden toys created by Romalda and Charles: some of them burned in C. and J.'s big fire and we still have a Plymouth Rock hen and a rabbit, both of course on wheels. Terra Toys has always had the best selection of children's books in town. The owners used to publish an enigmatic little 'zine, also, the name of which I can't remember at the moment. Lone Star Illusions has already removed its Monkey in a Fez, the landmark created by Blue Genie Art. This is all very sad.