As a child I would buy packs of cards with my allowance at "The Little Store". I would walk with my friend Joey Mari on Wednesdays with my dime allowance and buy two packs of cards. I always wanted to get an empty box, but was to shy to ask the store manager if I could have one. I remember one day in 1970 when packs were 10 for 10 cents, I opened a pack and there were only six cards. I was not too shy to go back in the store and demand the missing four cards. He gave me a new pack but took the six I had from the original pack.
Go back a few years to 1967, I was five and lived across the very busy street and 100 yards away from the store. I have a distinct memory of walking down to the store with my dad and sister. We each got a pack of cards. Mine were 1967 Red Sox stickers, I think my sister may have got monkey cards. I can remember her dropping her gum onto the sidewalk and crying, my dad picked it up and took it home to wash off and give it to her. I remember this as yesterday and know the "exact" spot this happened. So my first pack consisted of three 67 Topps stickers. Only one survived childhood as I put it on my Mikey Mouse Club toy box. Many years later I completed that set. Attached picture #1 is that card from my first pack, picture #2 is me with a 1970 Reggie Smith and my sisters.
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