Okay, here is a story for you about your Uncle Jim.
When we were first married, Jim and I moved to Chicago and lived there until we moved back to Arkansas in 1971--all of our kids were born there. We had two restaurants, Snappy Service No. 7 at Chicago Ave. and Central and Snappy Service No. 8 at Archer and Nordica. They were 24 hour restaurants, and Debbey, Sandi and Little Jim all worked there with us when they got old enough.
...Continued in comments.
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7 comments:
Jim was one of the most giving, caring men I've ever known--I have watched him literally give people the shirt off his back...and his pants too--his WHOLE wardrobe! Sometimes I think his name and address must have been written on the wall down at the railroad yard, because there was always somebody showing up to ask for his help.
He always wore dress clothes to work then changed into whites when he got to the restaurant. Then these homeless people would come in and the first thing he would do was feed them a big breakfast, then he'd let them go in the back and clean up and put HIS dress clothes on...it didn't matter if they fit or not. Then he would give them money to make it to where ever they needed to go.
One time this man came in, he was on his way to Michigan to pick fruit. Jim did his usual, gave him food, clothes and money and let him clean up. Then he told the man, "Hey fella, if want to make some extra money, you can clean the booths in here and take a nap in them when you're finished." The man looked at him and said, "No Way! I got money now!"
Of course I laughed.
Also when Jim would work, he would get sleepy (the restaurants were open 24 hours and he took the night shift). Sometimes I worked with him because the night shift people didn't show up. One night when we were working together, he was standing up...completely asleep AND he was making himself a salad. Everybody was watching, not saying a word. Jim even ripped up napkins in little pieces and put them in the salad bowl. He put dressing on it and took a bite, and when he did everybody started laughing and woke him up--boy was he mad!
Jim was also one of the toughest men I've ever sen. We were real busy one night and this man came in and sat on one of the stools at the counter...he could hardly speak English and he kept getting louder and louder. Jim totally ignored him as he was talking. The man must have felt like he wasn't getting enough attention because he got up on his knees on the stool and said, "You goddamn hillybillies come here and take all the money back down south!" Then he put his knee up on the counter and Jim turned around and hit that man so hard it knocked him all the way across the restaurant...and everybody cheered.
Those are my stories for now. I enjoy reading what everyone writes on here and look forward to seeing you all in July.
Love,
Aunt Earnie
Great story Aunt Earnie. I sure wish I could have known him. He sounds like he was quite a man.
Thanks for sharing Aunt Earnie! I wish we would have known Uncle Jim. I am betting that he was admitred by all that knew him.
Orrin
Working the night shift with dad. I remember one night a man came in and was trying to start a fight with a couple of guys, and dad looked at the man and said see the boy sitting over there, I bet 100 dollars that he can take you. I remember that man looking at me real hard trying to figure out what was so special about me. I'm not so sure how I looked back, I couldn't believe that my dad was arranging a fight with me 15 year old and a grown man! I'm sure I was shaking inside. The man refused and dad told him to get out. I asked dad what would have happen if I couldn't beat him, and he said for all the money he paid for me to learn to fight I better not lose. From that point on I was always a little nervous when someone came in shooting their mouth off. But everytime they did dad would get them, the police would get him, and I would call mom to let her know that I was there all alone, which seemed like she took her sweet ole time getting there! The night shift, what I wouldn't do to be there again!
Yeah Mom! thanks for FINALLY giving some stories! Jimmie, I remember Dad "putting you up" more than once! And you know what? They NEVER made me work the night shift! Listen to this yaw...we all started working at about 11 years old. This one place was a truck stop that kind of resembled the Waffle House, cept guess what? We NEVER wrote down orders! We called 'em back to the cook (Mom or Dad) had to remember who they went to, and how much to charge. I always wondered how "the cooks" could remember all those orders being yelled out to them ...one after another-and they never stopped to say "what?" I've seen that grill filled with enough food to feed 20 people, and they would toss it, slam it, flip it, and put it in a plate faster than McDonald's EVER thought about (and there were NO warmer lights!)
And there is no way I could tell you how many potatoes THESE Ladd kids peeled! Hand made french fries, everything fresh....but boy, you couldn't believe how good they tipped kids! A cup of coffee was a dime, and people would leave a quarter tip. Which brings me to another memory. THE JUKE BOX (see my new post! Love YAW!
Speaking of night shift-there were a couple of times dad left early in the morning (or very late at night) and left me with Gail Shannon to run things. I think we were only about 16. I would cook and Gail had to take orders. To remember things I would sing the orders in my head. When I finished one I would drop it out of the song. I have no idea how we made it through.
Good Times-Good Times-
I never knew that! I remember when I first starting working, some guy had ordered a bunch of stuff, and I couldn't add it up in my head fast enough to suit him. I got so upset that I went in to the back room and cried. Mom came stomping back there, and I thought she was going to cuddle me and say it was "all right". Nope....she says "You get back out there right now and tell that man how much he owes!". So much for pity parties!
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