The Nickle Coke

How did we ever satisfy our hunger with a nickle coke, reg hamburger and an order of fries?  No "can we super size that" in my teen years.  Then came Mc Donalds, Carrolls, etc.  The great love affair for quick drive through service.  My kids learned the jingle "2 all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickle, onion on a sesame seed bun".  I still can hear the little back seat chorus on our way to Olean.  Years ago we were satisfied with mustard, ketchup, onions or relish, no cheese, special sauces, bacon or what ever else can be stacked on the burger.  I think this is why the Red and Trudy Burger still reigns the "champion burger of choice for so many of us.  Simple, always the same and just plain good.  How about a side of fries from some restaurants......side?  Those fries are  family size.  Fries, chili, cheese, sour cream, you name it and they will serve it.  I can never remember going to a restaurant more than a few times growing up.  Red and Trudy's for sure but it wasn't take out.  Another place I went a few times with my sister in law was in Olean and on the Main St.  I wish I could remember the name, here's hoping one of you can.  It was a diner style, low ceilings, booths and was noted for their hot roast beef sandwiches.  Can you remember?  The last time I was there was around 1958-60.

There I went off track from the nickle coke.  Freeborns was the place, they would put a shot of cherry syrup or vanilla syrup in for a few more cents.  That little paper Dixie cup was quite satisfying.  If not I also liked their cherry sundaes, it was maraschino cherries chopped fine in a red syrup.  Never had a cherry sundae since Freebs.  They also had a display case in the front with different kinds of chocolates, my favorite was the chocolate covered sponge candy.  Can you tell I do have not have just one sweet tooth but several?  Another favorite at Freeborns was Anna Bump.  What a sweet lady and always so good to us teens.  That says a lot about a person, how well they get along with teens,  it can be very testy at times but  Anna had no problems with us.

Freeborns seemed to be the hub of happenings.  Get together and decide who could get a car, where were we going or just hang around and play pinball.  John Chamberlsin the town policeman would keep good tabs on us, funny he
 always knew what was up.   Not as smart as we thought!  It was all good honest fun with no worries.  Heck on an exciting afternoon we could watch a few races in town.  Sometimes they would go to the Horse Run Rd.  Rt 44 to the Horse Run Bridge.  Doug Evingham was always up for a challenge.  If you see him I'm sure he can tell you every car and every race.

Even with the few snowflakes today the garden is close in our thoughts.  Off to Riverside in Wellsville this week for our onion sets.  I think Dick wants to visit with  Rod  about his new tiller.  He used it last weekend to get the ground ready for sweet peas.  No more back breaking work, he said he barely has to hang on to it.  Yeah!  I see more being planted this year.  (maybe ;)  I was looking forward to  tiller lessons, instead I will coach from the bench for a while.  I just have to make sure the guy I coach doesn't start wearing earplugs.

I can almost smell the beauty of Sweet Peas.