In an article in the recent edition of Smithsonian Magazine about Charles Dickens’ narratives of London during the early 19th century, he included this vivid narrative of one of the city’s vegetable markets, “What was Covent Garden like when it was the city’s main vegetable market? At dawn the pavement was ‘strewed with decayed cabbage-leaves, broken haybands. . . men are shouting, carts backing, horses neighing, boys fighting, basket-women talking, piemen expatiating on the excellence of their pastry, and donkeys braying.’ Drury Lane was rich with ‘dramatic characters’ and costume shops selling boots ‘heretofore worn by a fourth robber or fifth mob.’ Ragged boys ran through the streets near Waterloo Bridge, which were filled with ‘dirt and discomfort,’ tired kidney-pie vendors and flaring gaslights.” [Read the entire article here.]

 

Time marches on and changes happen, but markets remain a gathering place for the inhabitants of any community. What the community’s shepherds must know is that gathering points for people must be inviting, appealing, communal-in-nature and relevant. Gathering points are not parking lots.