When I was a student at Washington Irving Junior High (now "Middle School" -- yecch!) from 1968-1971 (and even long after), the Rustic Hills Shopping Center was one of my favorite haunts. And although I can remember its layout and decor -- and even, it seems to me, the smell of the place (Furr's Cafeteria?) -- I can't remember too many specifics. I'm hoping someone with a better memory can help me out. Let's see, starting on the east side there was a nifty general merchandise store where I always perused the latest albums. I remember coming across the Monkees, Rod Stewart, Jethro Tull, the Beatles, of course, and McCartney's early solo efforts and clearly recall buying two albums in particular there: Uriah Heep's "Wizards and Demons" and Peter Nero's "Summer of '42." (What can I say? I was a teeny-bopper.) A little farther west, past Furr's, was a very cool little independent bookshop where I practically lived. I was really into the '30-'40s pulp hero Doc Savage (still am, I guess) and they had row upon row of cool Doc paperbacks displayed there. This was also where I got the very first hardback book I ever bought with my own money, Hal Borland's "Country Editor's Boy" (soon followed by the second hardback I ever bought, James Clavell's "Shogun"). These two shops, along with the Duckwall's(?), the 7-Eleven and the small but lovely Rustic Hills Theater, made up my universe in that corner of town. But I don't remember the names of the places. Does anyone else remember?
