Another RR tale from the Greasy Spoon
One of my old Engineer Friends from Havre, Montana used to say all the time, “Good On You.” Oliver S. said he’d picked this up in the South Pacific during WWII from his Australian Friends while they were fighting the war together. He was a large and powerful man who everyone liked and respected. He always treated us younger “Rails” like equals not underlings. He was a great guy.
Montana Tracks. Photo compliments of Alexander Rabb/Flickr
One day in the old Johnnie Café in Glasgow, Montana we sat down to eat. The special that day was chipped beef on toast. As every soldier and Railroader knows this is also called sh#t on a shingle. When it is good it is very, very good. But this particular day was not one of them.
When they served the SOS that day the white gravy was very lumpy and instead of chipped beef the meat looked like chopped up old hard salami, which was on the verge of going bad. The toast looked like it was left over from the morning rush.
My old friend Ollie called the waitress back and in no uncertain terms explained what was wrong with the offending dish. He then instructed her to go to the kitchen and tell the cook (and I quote here):
Don’t ever mess with an Old RailRoader’s meal..
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Never talk bad about people who can spit in your food. Old railroad saying. Love it Russ
Very true Billy, I surely forgot that truism about those that can spit on one’s food.Thank you my friend for reminding me..
I love this story! Oliver was my grandfather, and this brought back so many memories of him.
He was a good man, glad to stir some memories Michele. I can still hear him laugh..
Oliver was my dad, and thanx for the story Russ. Perry Jacobson told one of him and dad in Jonnies , and they had ordered a Chicken Fried Steak,but when they served it dad said it looked like an old “COW’S Ear”.He was pretty colorful at times. I truly miss him, he was a great father, and thanx again.
Yes he was a Good Guy and treated all of us well, I miss him too. Thanks Kevin for the story.