It is sad to say country stores are becoming a thing of the past. There are still some around, but they are becoming “few and far between.” And the more modern versions are “not like they used to be”, only an attempt at what once was.
Recently, I was told where I could still get a freshly made boloney sandwich at a country store. This one is as close to an original as you might find. My informant told of how I could get a boloney sandwich, chips, and a drink for “around five dollars.” This, I had to see.
So, I stopped by the old store which looks much like it did years and years ago. As I stepped through the front door my mind was flooded with memories of the past - the smells, the feel.
I approached the sales counter where the young lady stood behind.
“Is it too late in the afternoon to get a boloney sandwich? I asked.
“What do you want on it?” she said, dryly.
“A little mayonnaise,” I said.
“Cheese?” she asked, dryly, again.
“Sure!” I answered.
She turned and quietly disappeared in the back.
I left the counter to explore the store.
In the back I found antique shelving showcasing items not to be had in other places. Garden implements made of sturdy metal stood waiting to be employed. For a few moments I just stood there and smiled.
The thought of the boloney sandwich turned me back toward the front of the store. I approached a stand-up drink cooler to see the price of a 12 oz. can of Pepsi was 61 cents. I didn’t even check the price on the bag of chips I picked up.
Back at the counter my sandwich was waiting. As I reached in my shirt pocket I realized I had left my cash at home. I also noticed a sign which read “All credit card purchases under $5.00 will receive a 50-cent charge. I was sure I was safe. The lady behind the counter rang up the sale.
“That will be four dollars and sixty-one cents,” she said, dryly. I was glad to pay the extra 50 cents. I handed her my credit card. She produced a receipt.
After sprawling my signature at the bottom of the receipt, I drew a smiley face. She smiled for the first time. I grinned to myself as I left the store with my prize. Boloney, fresh, light bread, cheese, and chips never tasted so good.
This simple pause in time afforded me time to go back in time to country stores of the past. Once again, I walked on creaking, oiled floors and felt the cool air stirred by ancient ceiling fans that rocked as they turned. I felt the heat from pot-bellied stoves that glowed red in the coldest wintertime, drawing men who made their living off the land to it like a magnet. And I saw farmers gathered ‘round, sitting in straight-back chairs sharing the news of the day, cracking jokes, and telling tales, some of which were hard to believe.
And, of course, I remembered old fashioned cheddar hoop cheese. Now that was “real” cheese, with the kind of flavor which would overwhelm a cracker. (A 22 lb., red rind block can still be had in some places for around $130 bucks.) If you had a good slicer, that would make 22 fine Christmas presents at an average price of $5.91.
Oh, to see boloney and cheese sliced right in front of you and spread out lunch on a table covered with red checkered oil cloth in the back of an old country store! I still see visions of sardines, Vienna sausages, potted meat, Beanie Weenies, and Louisiana Hot Sauce.
But the flavors are just not quite the same.
Copyright 2025 by Jack McCall
