[i]As I walk through the gathered crowd, I can’t help but notice the different views of the people present. There’s the families taking the kids out for the rides, there’s the young couples enjoying the lively atmosphere, the ever-vigilant TCPD, and the criminal types looking for someone to exploit. It has taken a long time for the town to get this far. This neighborhood wasn’t always so nice. [/i]

[i]I want to take a trip down memory lane, and I know just the person to help me. His name’s Benjamin Jackson, but most people just call him Old Ben. He’s lived here in Clarkstown his whole life, even helped with some of the construction back in the ‘20s.[/i]

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[font=Courier New][b]Debbra Alexander[/b] ([i]reporter[/i]): Thank you for meeting with me, sir.[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Old Ben[/b]: It’s my pleasure, missy. What can I do ya’ for?[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Debbra Alexander[/b]: Well, with this “Birthday Bash” event, I’m feeling just a bit nostalgic. I was wondering if you could take me on a little trip down memory lane, highlighting some of the history of the Briggstone neighborhood.[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Old Ben[/b]: Sounds easy ‘nuf. What time was ya’ thinkin’ ‘bout?[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Debbra Alexander[/b]: How about we start with the late ‘60s, and bring us to where we are today?[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Old Ben[/b]: That was a good time. Businesses were booming, life was good. Many folks ‘round here were working over at the old textile mill. That is, ‘til the incident, ...you know the one I mean. All of a sudden, e’ryone was out of work. No one could afford to do right by their families, and many resorted to less than honorable practices to get by.
Well, that brought all kinds of filth in. You couldn’t walk 2 blocks without running into some nastiness or another, and that was just the normal folks. The cops was too busy to do nothing ‘bout any of it, so it just got worse; then some of them dastardly super types moved in.[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Debbra Alexander[/b]: How did supers moving in make it worse?[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Old Ben[/b]: They was all villains ‘n scoundrels ‘n such. Not a hero in the bunch. Don’ get me wrong, some so called villains are excellent folk outside their proclivity to violate the law, but many ain’t. Things went from bad to worse around here, and then all the shops shut down, one by one. [/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Debbra Alexander[/b]: I see. This all sounds rather depressing. How did we get to where we are today?[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Old Ben[/b]: Well, back in ‘92, after sittin’ empty for years, the old mill just exploded. Outta’ the blue! Well, you know the fire department don’t take kindly to things burning ‘round here, and there was an investigation. It dragged on and on, but I never saw nothin’ ‘bout closin’ it in the headlines. Some folks talk about a cover-up, some folks say it weren’t never solved. I don’ know what to think. All I know is, a few years later, it was all bought up. The old mill, an’ a buncha properties all around it. Sum’ fishy there, if ya ask me. Anywho, those property management folks had the bright idea to build a mall, and a convention center. ‘twas pure genius. Now we gots this big shiny mall, full of stores with e’rything you could ever possibly wanna buy. Well, it was great for a time, ‘till that convention of scientists came in, and messed the place up so bad they had to rebuild it. I tell ya’ they rebuilt it faster than you could shake a stick, and it’s still better than the first! Don’ know how they did it, but they darn sure did. [/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Debbra Alexander[/b]: How’s it better now, than it was before?[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Old Ben[/b]: Well, to go with the mall, there’s a better convention center that houses the arena for the Tritons hockey and Meteors basketball teams. Aw, heck, they even let that girls basketball team, the Saucers, play there. And to top it off, there’s even a big beautiful park right in the middle! Well, with all the business comin’ into the mall ‘n such, more people was comin’ through. Restaurants started gettin’ busier and busier, so people started openin’ up some of the old shops, which brought even more people.
Never in my life have I seen this part of town so busy, darn near every day! But that’s a good thing, I guess. Means the town’s comin’ back. Well, least right here it is. I don’ know what they gonna do ‘bout Southside. It’s been messed up down there so long, I don’ think that it can be fixed. Up here, though, well, we take our anniversaries seriously. That’s why we have this carnival every year. Been a hundred ‘n four years since Cronos Pizzeria opened up, an’ ain’t no one been able to take ‘em out. [/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Debbra Alexander[/b]: Thank you very much, Mr. Jackson, for that colorful trip down memory lane. I hope you enjoy the rest of your afternoon.[/font]

[font=Courier New][b]Old Ben[/b]: I will, sweetie, don’t you worry.[/font]

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[i]There you have it, folks. How Briggstone came to be as popular as it is today. Come on down and enjoy the carnival, available all week long. You can find it down by the Main Street Shops, many of whom have special sales going on for the week. Why, there’s half-priced drinks at The Shipyard Public House, 20% off comics and gaming products at The Vault and Vaulted Comics, and one free scoop with every pint purchased at Briggstone Ice Creamery, just to name a few.[/i]

[i]I hope to see you here![/i]

[i]Discuss the update here[/i]: http://cityoftitans.com/forum/discuss-interview-old-man-street