Driving through her old hometown was more depressing than Rayna thought it would be. Most of the old storefronts in what used to be downtown were closed forever.
“Mommy? What’s a ‘photo center?'” Marnie, her seven-year-old daughter, asked from the backseat, pointing to a locked, crumbling building as they passed.
“Oh, when I was a kid, grandma and grandpa had a camera that used something called film. It sort of…errr…remembered your pictures for you after you took them…”
“Remembered them?” Marnie scrunched her face in confusion.
Rayna chuckled. “Mmmm-hmmmm. Then they brought the film here to the photo center where they turned it into pictures.”
“Wow,” Marnie said in amazement.
Rayna smiled as she thought of all of the childhood memories brought to life in that old building.
“I have an idea.”
Rayna lifted a giggling Marnie onto her hip as they posed in front of the old photo center. She posted the selfie of their goofy, happy faces to her Instagram with the caption, “End of an era.”
Jennifer Terry 
That made me all nostalgic for film. Great story, Jenn!
Thank you! I miss those days too.
It made me feel nostalgic too! Then I remembered the boxes and boxes of unsorted photos I never got around to going through and felt a little less positive about the old days. 😉
Hahahaha! Yes, there are some advantages to modern technology.
Yes indeed — at least my digital photos have dates. Although it’s harder to write people’s names on the back. 😉
Yeah, I need to start printing out some pictures and organizing them.
It certainly is an end of an era and good riddance! LOL! I never seemed to have enough money to get my photos developed. Great story, Jenn!
Me neither! I probably still have a disposable camera somewhere waiting to be developed. Thanks for reading!
Yes, me too!
Wonderful piece. Yes it seems actual photographs are going away. I think it is nice to have something tangible for the important photos. I like to scrapbook too, so I think it’s a shame. Quiet truthful to, that a child wouldn’t know a photograph only an image online.
Yes, I think it’s good to try and print out our favorite digital photos so they aren’t lost for good if our computer or phone crashes. Thanks for reading!
I hope it’s not the end of an era; I like to think that it makes the film arts #Classics 😉 Great challenge piece.
Thank you!
I had a conversation just yesterday with my 16 year old nephew about life before smart phones, GPS, streaming music and video and the internet. He had a hard time conceiving of how I managed to survive. I shook my head in disgust but then I spoke this morning with my 97 year old grandmother who told me she was a teenager before her family even owned a car.
Interesting how our technology defines our conception of existence. Well done, Jenn.
Thanks! Sometimes I actually wonder how I survived without GPS. Did I really read maps and ask for directions? 🙂
What a lovely tale. Nicely done1
Thank you
Real end of an era. There were times we dressed in our Sunday best to go take pictures.
I remember those days. My mom still has those up on her wall. Embarrassing! 🙂 Thanks for reading.
My pleasure 🙂