Amsler's Penny Candy Store Castleton N.Y. 12033

 I was up to the Albany N.Y. area this week finalizing travel plans to Gettysburg with my friend Marty the lawyer known affectionately as Rumpole to friend and foe alike. Anyway on the way back I could not resist a stop over in my hometown of Schodack. I wanted to take a look at a spot on the Moordeners  Kill that I have a plan on doing some exploratory work  this or next summer. It was Spring Break , kids were off from school so many younger kids were out and about in the town despite it being a rather chilly late April day. I remembered a recent conversation with a long time resident about our mutual school days and she mentioned Amslers store. Located on Ransom Street located in the Village. On one side of Ransom Avenue is essentially a couple of corner houses a Telephone Bld and the rest is parking  lot & playing fields of Castleton Elementary School. The other side essentially houses , former Ray Funeral Home and Amsler's store were located on that side of the street. Ransom is a common looking street that most Americans would feel reasonably comfortable around. As of around 4 yrs ago the old bld still stood looking much like an old garage painted a mustard brown. This was a hub of many kids and teenagers lives from the 40's to appx the mid 60's. It was sort of an old basic general store , few basic groceries , beer , cigarettes ,  newspapers , penny candy. In the evenings a few locals might have a card game going on. I have been told basic philosophy was also dispensed by old man Amsler. But I can tell you , going there as a kid was in a real sense a right of passage. When you were deemed old enough to ride your bike to that place you   had obtained a new stature. I remember going there with Steven Ennis with a dime between us and carefully selecting our candy stash. To be honest I also bought cigarettes for my Mom....Kool was her brand. There was a time there was no age limit for buying cigarettes. Kids bought their cigs there all the time. I believe it cost around a quarter a pack back then. Oddly one of my favorite candies back then still is in use in my home today. Atomic Fireballs. By the way back in those old days they were much hotter. I remember some kids essentially getting chemical type burns in there cheeks from over use. But this was our central meeting place as kids , in the summer we caught up on kid type news of who was doing what , count down to return to school and what teachers we faced in the next grade. This store was our version of our street corner , our facebook and or e-mail. Certain little rituals were created like finale soda of the summer. Steven Ennis and I became blood brothers in the back of Amsler's , a ritual many kids did involving cutting ones self and pressing the cuts together to join the blood. This was witnessed by 5 other kids with a certain solemness. Mr. Amsler died  circa mid sixties and the store soon closed. It was missed.........since I was in town I drove past the site of where it was. A small garage storage type bld now sits where it once was. One would never know what a central place this once was. Anyway I soon was off to check out an old VW bug that was for sale on Maple Hill Rd.  A Super Beetle as a matter of fact..........later in the early evening as I traveled towards  home in 11509. That area is a nice area near the ocean but interestingly all most every house has a fence around it. Few know their neighbors well and frankly probably don't want to. The local coffee shop "The Korner Kitchen" is a friendly enough place but it is a quick in and; out type shop. Very little conversation. Nobody hanging out for long , so has gone our society.