Heads down. Now raise your hands. Who loved the Red Dot? Who hated the Red Dot? Ahhhh. The votes are in, but I'll never tell.
The summer of 1964 was the summer of the Red Dot. I had just graduated from high school and Nan and I had spent 3 weeks in Manasquan, New Jersey at the beach, coming back with incredible tans! And the work schedule was posted for car hop duty at the Red Dot. Now you're going to have to help me here. My memories are limited vivid ones, and others, whether you loved it or hated it, will have completely different ones. Mine are Gladys the cook who stood like a wooden cigar store indian when she had nothing to do, and after Dad pointed that out to me I couldn't look at her with getting the giggles and trying to hide them. Then there were the pizzaburgers which were a big hit. Why didn't we make them at home? (Two thin patties with mozzarella cheese layered in between.) Paula racing to get our customers' trays and swiping up our tips. Dad putting me inside at the counter and Nan and Paula "hopping." (I think this was because Nan, uh, didn't practice the art of filling the soft ice cream cone orders with a sleight of hand necessary to get exactly the amount of ice cream, brought to a nice curl, that would leave Daddy a profit.) I still have a the recipe for Red Dot barberque if any of you plan to feed a very large crowd.
Oh, and my garbage men who came in during the afternoon lull and lined up on the counter stools. I guess it was a big thing to them to be welcomed. Hmmm. I suppose they must've stunk, but all I could see were polite guys with dollars in their pockets who showed up when no one came, about 2:00 pm. They always hollered at me from the garbage truck that next couple of years when I was an OU student and they were on their routes around town. My garbage guys. :)
After a few years at the Pelican Post, I told Dad, "You should've let me manage it for you!" Of course he would never have considered letting an 18 yr. old me manage it, using the excuse "and supervise Nancy and Paula?," but you know, I think I would've done a darn good job, and it would've been fun to get to be the boss of those two! ;) I could've threatened Nan with firing her if she didn't let me be the 'bu driver instead of passenger more often!
C'mon Rita. I can't remember the "pies" part. Did you or did Mom bake pies for the Dot? Did John work there, too? Skip Layton did, but what was Skip's job? Did I replace him "inside" when he left? As you can see, my memories on a lot of stuff aren't too clear!
The summer of 1964 was the summer of the Red Dot. I had just graduated from high school and Nan and I had spent 3 weeks in Manasquan, New Jersey at the beach, coming back with incredible tans! And the work schedule was posted for car hop duty at the Red Dot. Now you're going to have to help me here. My memories are limited vivid ones, and others, whether you loved it or hated it, will have completely different ones. Mine are Gladys the cook who stood like a wooden cigar store indian when she had nothing to do, and after Dad pointed that out to me I couldn't look at her with getting the giggles and trying to hide them. Then there were the pizzaburgers which were a big hit. Why didn't we make them at home? (Two thin patties with mozzarella cheese layered in between.) Paula racing to get our customers' trays and swiping up our tips. Dad putting me inside at the counter and Nan and Paula "hopping." (I think this was because Nan, uh, didn't practice the art of filling the soft ice cream cone orders with a sleight of hand necessary to get exactly the amount of ice cream, brought to a nice curl, that would leave Daddy a profit.) I still have a the recipe for Red Dot barberque if any of you plan to feed a very large crowd.
Oh, and my garbage men who came in during the afternoon lull and lined up on the counter stools. I guess it was a big thing to them to be welcomed. Hmmm. I suppose they must've stunk, but all I could see were polite guys with dollars in their pockets who showed up when no one came, about 2:00 pm. They always hollered at me from the garbage truck that next couple of years when I was an OU student and they were on their routes around town. My garbage guys. :)
After a few years at the Pelican Post, I told Dad, "You should've let me manage it for you!" Of course he would never have considered letting an 18 yr. old me manage it, using the excuse "and supervise Nancy and Paula?," but you know, I think I would've done a darn good job, and it would've been fun to get to be the boss of those two! ;) I could've threatened Nan with firing her if she didn't let me be the 'bu driver instead of passenger more often!
C'mon Rita. I can't remember the "pies" part. Did you or did Mom bake pies for the Dot? Did John work there, too? Skip Layton did, but what was Skip's job? Did I replace him "inside" when he left? As you can see, my memories on a lot of stuff aren't too clear!
7 comments:
John and Skip Layton both worked there at different times. You forgot to mention our red polka-dot shifts we made and wore. We were fashionistas!
I don't remember Mom making pies, but when it got cooler, she made veggie soup and chili for Dad to sell there.
Your recall of Gladys is perfect, and, yes, I put too much ice cream in the milkshakes because I wanted them to be thicker and richer and better than Dolan's so we could steal their customers. Thanks for a great memory!
Love it or hate it? I loved it but was a bit embarrassed to be a car hop.
Me, too, but it was a growth experience. ;) False pride is a bad thing.
P.S. I have NO recollection of our polka-dog shifts we made!! Are you sure we had them and especially, are you sure we were fashionists? ;)
I think Rita made the pies. I hope she will comment and let us know. I don't think she saw it as an "opportunity of a lifetime." ;)
We were definitely fashionistas with our Simplicity pattern straight shifts made out of white cotton with red polka dots. Maybe only Paula and I had them, and that's why we got to carhop!
Ah, that's it! Dad had good political instincts -- tell you and Paula you got the good job with the tips because of the polka dot shifts, and tell me I got to work inside because he could trust me with the ice cream machine! ;) (Maybe Paula made the shifts??)
How could you FORGET that I made the pies??? At the time I had 2 little ones under six, and Dad insisted I could handle it! Well, every time I ran out of supplies, Dad would show up with at least 5lb cans of shortening and cherries, apples, and peaches-it wore me out just seeing the cans!! But I tried to do it as long as I could; but the pies sold so fast that I just couldn't keep up with Don and Debbie and the pies! SO, I chose to quit that job, which I know was not what Dad wanted to see-but my kids came FIRST :) Oh yes, did I mention, it was a no-pay job!
PS-Our little Debbie loved Red Dot chicken!
You mean Dad didn't pay you a dime to make them?!!
I DO remember, really, quite well! I can not only remember the large cans in your kitchen (where Debbie got her eye hurt, right?) but the look of horror on your face! At least I think I got .70/hour for working the counter! I can't believe you didn't get paid anything!!! No wonder your hand shot up so fast when I asked, "Who hated the Red Dot"??? ;/
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