The Leave that hit close to home

Written By Luca Fukuyo

One by one the stores around me shut down. Lights off, Doors locked, the streets got darker as I walked. Every time this happened, it was one that I didn’t know much about. Never heard of, or never been. But as I scrolled through social media one day, I saw a post that caught me off guard. A small business that I’ve been going to since grade 3, the one that has memories built up from the ground, the vibrant colors that welcomes you every time you walk in, that same café, was shutting down. Isn’t it ironic how I thought that it would never close, no matter how many problems they faced? Every time I would walk into that same store, it brought light into my day. The owners were an elderly couple who had smiles that shined through their masks. It was unfortunate that the very next weekend was the day they announced their leave. As the store remains dim, the memories within those doors stay put, and as devastating as their leave was, I'll always remember the laughter and smiles within those lavender colored walls.