Wilbraham, aka Calvin

 

One thing about being away for four months is driving around and checking out all the changes that have occurred.

          The mall out on Route 20, which was a very big deal indeed in 1967, is now flattened, nothing but a moonscape. Gone are the fountains, the throne for Santa, the variety of large and small stores.

          The center of our little town has gone through a big change, too. Maybe I’m feeling it a bit more keenly since I used it as the basis for my mysteries. And while my fictional town is called Calvin (after a favorite cat), many of the landmarks in my character Cate MacLeod’s world are the same ones I pass every day.

 

         The Village Store, named just as unimaginatively in my mysteries, is untouched. Not only does it carry the same name, like the one in the series it also has an apartment on the second floor, although I doubt if the real-life resident is a biology grad student named Libby. It also serves a rotating demographic of lawyers, craftsmen, and kids from the town academy, but I did write in a much bigger front porch, with plenty of seating.

 

         And yes, both worlds have a private academy in town, established here in 1825 which still continues a global focus begun in the 1800s, with currently about 30% foreign students. It looks pretty much the same as when I left, give or take a sign here and there.

          Our Civil War soldier (decorated in Doubly Murdered with stuffed animals) still guards town center, staring down the road toward the big city of Springfield.

          No, the big change is the huge building that’s gone up next to our soldier’s park. Not too long ago two small white, slightly ramshackle houses sat there – although in my books there was only one, used as a shop first selling herbs, then later, yarn.

          But I think most of us in town are happy with the change. For all its size, it echoes the pre-Revolutionary War white clapboard houses on Main Street. And it’ll be good to finally have a decent restaurant in town. Of course, the fact that the second occupant is a craft brewery doesn’t hurt, either.