Remembering the Bean Bag Market

To the Editor,

I have enjoyed your columns down through the years although sometimes I have thought you might be beating a dead horse. That hasn’t stopped me from enjoying them.

I am making particular notice of the column in Sunday January 20, 2019 because the title dovetails so well with the response that I had after reading it. In fact I would call my response, “Snagging on a memory also.”

I’m not exactly sure why, but i do remember the Bean Bag Market, and I have some fond memories of being by Rapid Creek, although my memories are located more on the west side of town by Jackson Blvd. In fact I remember a comment about Jackson Blvd, “finally being paved,” to my Father although I don’t have any memory of it not being paved. I remember 2nd Avenue being unpaved and the trucks that used to go down that street wetting the dirt road so the dust wouldn’t fly up.

However these memories are not the reason I’m writing to you, I was a very young boy and I was at St John’s Hospital on 12th street, (I think,) when I saw a man walking up the sidewalk and somebody I was with mentioned that he was wondering why I was staring at, (the N word,) which I admit I had never seen in my life. I did know that the word was a disparaging word by the manner in which it was said. I didn’t understand the reason for the prejudice and I must admit that today I still don’t understand it.

I only know how sad it is.

There are so many good things in your column for Memory to be snagged to, how sad it has to be attached to the other.

Thank you for the memory.

I DO enjoy your columns.

Roger Flanagan
Rapid City