Memorial Day can hold different meanings for all of us, but most of our thoughts obviously have something to do with memories. The holiday itself was originally called Decoration Day and was intended to honor military casualties, but has gradually become a day to honor all those who have passed on.
Although those types of thoughts are present for most of us, we also often have memories of pleasant experiences on what is generally considered the first 
holiday of Summer. And if you’re a race fan, those memories might include an event that is still a pretty big deal, even if not to the extent it once was.
The Indy 500, once billed as the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing”, was a huge event in middle America for many years. All roads led to Indianapolis and they were all bumper to bumper with hundreds of thousands of fans. I attended only once, as a young teenager, and although I might have tried to look ultra cool in pictures, I still remember how overwhelmed I felt.
A lot of things have changed since then. For one thing, I gave up trying to look cool a long time ago. And as far as the race is concerned, it still draws big crowds but not nearly the attention it once did.
To salute old memories, let’s hear a song that’s probably best known as one of Benny Goodman’s standards, but performed here by the Zoot Sims Quartet, with the Zootster himself sounding much breathier than usual: “Memories Of You”
