Mike, Rebekah and I went to downtown Orlando last Sunday. Our mission was to shoot video and pictures for Rebekah’s book trailers.
Usually Rebekah and I head off to Orlando for girl time but Sunday I invited Mike along as a courtesy. It turned out he was more than a courtesy he was our bodyguard. Empty, dark parking garages, closed restaurants and deserted buildings gave me the creeps.
I grew up in what I have come to think of as “the best of times”. The 50’s and 60’s. Sure we had the Cold War, duck and cover, Vietnam, riots and strife but a kid could play outside all day. In Orlando, we never locked our doors except at night when we put the hook and eye latch on. After school, I would have been a latch key child but the door wasn’t locked.
In high school, my sister in law to be and I would walk downtown to shop with no fear of being robbed or attacked. Walking through downtown last Sunday, I searched for signs of that gentler time. The only ones I could find were the public library and of course, the lake.
In the 50’s Lake Eola was THE place to be. It’s where you went on a Sunday afternoon. I imagine a lot of kids of my era have photo albums with pictures taken in front of beautiful flowers and foliage. Then the lake experienced a downtime. First the hippies came and then the homeless took over. Downtown wasted away.
Then downtown became cool again. Old homes were restored, the lake flourishes and downtown woke up. Well, except on Sunday afternoons.
If you would like to read a novel set in “new’ downtown Orlando check out Summer Storms by Rebekah Lyn
http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/summer-storms/18841461?showPreview
Old Things R New 
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