Lunch at Perkins Cake and Steak

My grandfather was 87 years old the last time I saw him, 2 years before he died. It was 1982 and he drove a red mustang. On the day after Thanksgiving, with my sister & I in the car already, we picked up Johanna, my late grandmother’s best friend. Both Johanna and my grandfather had dividend checks to put in the bank. Johanna didn’t drive. Her late husband Raymond had been the driver. My grandmother didn’t drive either. I, on the other hand, had driven 500 miles to see my grandfather. My sister flew to Rochester from Philadelphia. My grandfather had been after Johanna to move in with him so that he wouldn’t have to fetch her across town. I think he had other things in mind, too. Johanna would have none of it. She told him so in the car in her thick German accent.

Johanna and our grandfather kept up a loud banter in the front seats while my sister and I sat quietly in the back, taking it all in. Floyd, my grandfather, had a lot to complain about. He was just like that. He liked to say, “It’s hell to get old!” He was not one to look on the bright side of things. I’m not sure how Johanna or my grandmother could stand him. My grandmother’s brother and sister would not let him into their home anymore. He waited outside, either in or on top of his car. He would actually lie on top of the station wagon.

After Floyd and Johanna deposited their dividend checks at each of their banks, we were in for a rare treat- lunch out. Both Johanna and Floyd were hard of hearing so they talked loudly. Again, my sister and I sat quietly across from them. I was 25, she was 32. Halfway through lunch Johanna announced that lunch was on her. My grandfather said since we were his granddaughters, that lunch was on him. They went back and forth, louder and louder, about who was buying lunch, and who had more money. They named their top earning stocks. Johanna had a great deal of New York Power & Electric. She said since she had more money that she’d buy us lunch. All eyes in Perkins Cake & Steak were on us. My sister was trying to slide onto the floor in embarrassment. I really don’t know who ended up paying for our lunch but I told my sister to sit up straight, that this might be the last time anyone argued over who paid for our lunches! 28 years later, I can testify it was.