"A lot of the people who grew up here stay,"Rappucci says. "The only real changes are in thebuildings--Bank-Boston bought out the bank on thecorner--but aside from stuff like that, it isremarkably the same."

"I think it has a lot to do with the locationof Inman Square," Rappucci says. "It is a home,not a destination. It isn't Kendall Square orHarvard Square; it is home for a lot ofhard-working people."

Joseph Burke, delivery person and employee ofInman Pharmacy, talks about his 52 years of livingalong Cambridge Street.

"I could tell you about the change fromstreetcars and trolleys to busses and cars, but alot of the city stays the same," Burke says.

Burke adds, "Twenty years ago, though, youcould stand at Lechmere and look west to see theclock tower atop [Harvard's] Memorial Hall."

Burke says the clock had four faces and fourclocks so that the time was visible from virtuallyany point in Cambridge.

"I remember I used to take my son to seeSanders Theatre, too, because...outside thetheatre I remember there was a sculpture of EdmundBurke," Burke says. "My son's last name isBurke...so when he would see that, I would tellhim our family was famous," Burke says, grinningwith his sparkling eyes.

After speaking with the gentlemen from theInman Pharmacy, the next stop is the House ofSarah bookstore, located at 1309 Cambridge St.

William M. Barbour, co-owner of the bookstoreand longtime resident of Cambridge, says InmanSquare has remained a community while manyneighborhoods around it have disintegrated.

"Inman may be the last of the trueneighborhoods," Barbour says. "Away from all thesubway lines and attached to only one bus line,Inman is forced to be its own little community."

A Genteel Passerby

The trip through Inman Square would not becomplete without talking to Ernest J. Taylor,World War II veteran, and longtime Cambridgeresident.

Dressed in his khaki army fatigue shirt, greenpants and army beret, Taylor bears the look of anelder statesman. His face is wizened and furrowed,but a sparkle of happiness shines from his eyes.Taylor says today is a good day for him.

"I live the life of a genteel passerby, youmight say," Taylor says.

"You know what I really like to see?" Taylorasks. "I like seeing elderly couples together,maybe holding hands. I like to see college kidsfrom Harvard or MIT...They make the square morelively, and seeing them happy together gives me alot of good memories to think about."