--- In AsburyPark@yahoogroups.com, "oakdorf" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>
> This one was sent in to me @ asburyboardwalk.com: I'll assume it's
true: Just get down to
> the last line. A Classic.
>
> I am going to take you up west a few blocks to the corner of
Asbury Ave and Main Street
> across from the fire station was the Asbury Diner. I worked there
on and off as a waitress
> from 1969 to 1972 and always on the night shift which was from
10PM - 5 AM. There
> were many regulars each unique with their own stories to tell.
Every night person in the
> area would stop by 'The Diner' sometime during the night.
> I remember one regular who would come in anywhere between 2 and 4
in the mornings.
> He always seemed wasted to some degree and I wasn't sure if it
were drugs and/or
> alcohol. He was always soft spoken and polite and more often than
not would come in
> alone. A young boy, good looking, if you could look through the
fog and see him. His
> speech always mumbled, slurred and soft with a crocked smile when
he would be gazing
> at the menu, unable to articulate what it was that he wanted. But
I knew what it was, as he
> had the same thing every time he came in like that. He wanted
eggs fried sunnyside up. I
> have to say, I don't remember what else he ate with those eggs,
but I remember those
> eggs. I would bring him his plate and sometimes he would eat, but
most times not. He
> would be staring at his eggs with his head bobbing back and
forth. I knew it was time to
> go in the kitchen and get a clean warm and wet dish towel. No
sooner would I come back
> and yep...his face had fallen right flat in the middle of his
untouched face, His look was
> one of confusion and embarrassment. My towel was ready as I
washed his face and his
> hair that had streaks of yellow yolk on it while taking the plate
away. I would help him
> stand, as he still looked lost...he would kind of point to his
jean pocket and I would go in
> there and fetch the $1.37 cents that was needed to pay his check
and he would be on his
> way. Sometimes when you have memories from years ago, you wonder
what happened to
> some of these people. I have good news. That young man is doing
well today, but I have
> no idea if he still likes his eggs sunnyside up.
> I never minded waiting on his table and I was usually the one who
did, as the other
> waitresses hated to not so much because of the mess but because he
never tipped a dime.
> I must have waited on him a couple of hundred times. A tip back
then for what he had
> would be anywhere from 15 cents to 25 cents.
>
> So, today I am permanently disabled on SSD get my food from free
food pantries, get
> meals on wheels and live in senior HUD housing. I am poor. I
figure this guy kind of
> owes me $40.00. I know if he was not so wasted he would have
tipped, he just had some
> poor judgment at those times. So, if anyone runs into Bruce
Springsteen, please ask him if
> perhaps he might want to tip me now? I sure could use it. Thanks
>
All I can say is, WOW!
That IS a Classic and I remember the Asbury Diner, too! Every time I
pass that disgusting gas station, I try to remember what was there,
before that eye-sore! A tip of the hat, to you! Thanks!
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