April 1979 found us packing and heading back home to Oak Harbor. I put in my notice at King’s Dept store and they threw me a going away party. My boss made a cake for me and as I was cutting it, it was hard to cut so I asked for a sharper knife. Everyone was laughing and my boss’s face was red. He said he made his famous sponge cake from scratch himself. I finally got the cake cut and I realized it was foam rubber!! I love humor, and I thought that was hilarious!! Since then I have used that prank myself a few times!!
We packed up the car and Larry went to work for his retirement ceremony and then we headed out. We drove the same route as we did coming out. No side trips, no fun. But this time I packed a good supply of scotch and sandwiches!! I wanted to go by Niagara Falls, through New York City, Hershey town, etc. But Larry was a grump and didn’t want to do anything but get home. We were driving through Montana in a snowstorm at Homestake Pass when we came upon a snow plow. Larry (the idiot he was) decided the plow was going too slow for him so he decided to pass the plow in a whiteout no less!! Yep, we went in a sideways skid and plowed into a ditch!! The plow came by and passed us up. The driver was probably laughing his fool head off!! About ½ hour later a police comes by. I got in his patrol car and he called a tow truck. There was so much snow that there was not much damage to the car so we kept on going.
When we got to the Island, driving over Deception Pass bridge brought tears to my eyes. Although it was a great experience living on the East Coast, I was glad to be home again! Larry never wanted to do anything over there and I felt like I was in prison. I hardly drove anywhere because he drove the car to his work most of the time. I rode the mile to work with a co-worker. Now I am home and will get a job bartending again and back in the groove!!
I got a part time job back at the American Legion. I was working one day when a gal I worked with three years ago came in and asked me if I’d like to work at the Back East Deli. It was a new delicatessen with a bar upstairs. It was a small place but very popular and busy. I jumped at the chance. I ended up being the bar manager there for three years.
The Back East Deli taught me class. They did not have any games there, no pool tables, no juke box, just a lounge with a radio for background music. The draw was the cozy atmosphere with a bookcase in the corner and couch, two easy chairs, and 3 tables and the bar that had 4 stools. The next room had about 6 tables. On Friday nights the place was absolutely packed with Pilots from the Navy base. We called it “penguin night”. The officer’s uniforms looked like penguins. They would be at their club or private party earlier in the night, and then they would pack in at the Deli. It was hard to try and get through the crowd, because they were all standing. We took out all the barstools on Friday nights so we could pack more people in. My tip jar got pretty full. I learned how to mix cocktails there instead of pouring drinks and pushing them to the customers. Presentation meant more tips. Put on a show and entertain them and they will pay off with tips. I would make hot buttered rum’s by putting the batter in the mug and dribble 151 rum then light it on fire to warm the mug and melt the batter, then pour the rum & brandy in the mug and fill it with hot water, then top it off with a bit of butter with 151 rum floating on top and light it, and serve it flaming. The drink was $2.00 and I would always get a dollar tip. I loved performing and showing off my skills!! We served coffee drinks in clear mugs and put whipped cream on top and sprinkled shaved chocolate on the whipped cream. We made a lot of frozen drinks and other “foo foo” drinks.
We had picnics on Sundays, and once a year road rally’s. Again I was drinking a lot. After work we would all head to someone’s house and party. If I worked the day shift, I would go to the Legion a block away for a few drinks and head back down to the Deli. Larry got mad that I was out a lot. All I told him was paybacks are Hell, huh? He tried finding work and it was hard for him. I finally convinced him to go to college on the GI bill. He signed up for that and enjoyed it. He got $900.00 a month for retirement pay, and I was making around $1,000.00 a month bartending which was a lot in 1979. Christmas of 1979 was horrid. We had my family over to our house on Christmas Eve. A big pine cone and nut wreath I made in CT was hanging over the mantle and I lit some candles under it. The heat from the candles caught the wreath on fire and it fell under the Christmas tree almost landing on my 2 year old nephew! My brother threw the wreath outside and stomped the fire out. All was saved except the wreath. On Christmas Day Larry and I went to Edmonds where his parents lived and had a nice visit. On the way home Larry was driving through Oak Harbor on the highway around 8pm and a car ran the light and sideswiped us. We were going 50 mph and he was going around 30. It totaled our car and they had to pry open the door on my side to get me out. I saw the car coming but Larry didn’t. I tried to yell at Larry to watch it, but he had his blinders on and we crashed. We were taken to the ER and checked out fine. Just bruised and shaken up. Dad came and took us home. When we opened the door at home the place was ransacked!! The tree was down and decorations were everywhere!! I was horrified!! Then it dawned on me that before we left I sprinkled a whole bunch of catnip on the rug and told the two cats “Merry Christmas” and we left.
Well I guess they did have a very Merry Christmas at that!! They got so “high” on catnip that the tree looked like fun, and they destroyed it!! After I realized what happened I laughed my fool head off as I was heading for the scotch bottle!!
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