Why Don't You Try A Blanche Special?

While living in the house on Dutton Avenue,many things occured. Among them was my graduation from High School, entering Junior College, my very first car, and World War II. World War II had already been going on, but the bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese started our involvement. I shall always remember that day. My father had brought two soldiers home for dinner and we were all sitting around the dinner table when the news came on the radio and ordering all military back to their bases. No time was wasted shoving chairs away from the table and getting ready to head out the door. My dad volunteered to drive them back to their base near San Francisco. I got to go also and it was such a sad journey to be taking them to war. In the days that would follow, Santa Rosa became home to a lot of service men. We had sailors, soldiers, and marines. They were stationed in camps, in buildings above stores, and even on the old Wikiup ranch in barns and old buildings. West of town was the Naval Air Base. Army trucks rolled through town like I had never seen before. Everyone's whole life changed. It was a bad time and it was a good time. I met a lot of service men and very few who were not so nice. Most all of them were great guys. Night life took on a whole new meaning. The town never went to bed until the wee hours of the morning. Restaurants were still buzzing at two and three in the morning. I worked at a soda fountain that also served food and I met many service men in there. I remember one time an officer came in and I was on a break. He asked what I was eating and I told him it was something that was not on the menu. I just put some stuff together for a sandwich. He asked what, so I told him, deviled egg, cheese, lettuce, and tomato. He said, Can I have the same?" I asked our super great boss and he said go ahead. He put a price on it also. Well, from that time on the officer came in and always ordered a "Blanche Special." (Uh Oh! Now you know my name.)The war memories I have are so many, but actually too many to tell, because there are other stories to tell also. Maybe when I finish all this I will go back and tell war stories. While working at this place called Bordens Creamery I also met and waited on people who became town celebrities. There was Joan Pedersen who was once Miss America and there was Everett Shapiro who became a well known lawyer in town. Everett used to come in when he was a teenager and always before he left would leave a penny for a tip in a glass of water and turn it upside down on the table. he was assuming we would get all wet when we tried to pick it up or turn it over, however this is such and old trick that we were always prepared for these kids. We just brought our bucket over, scooted the glass to the end of the table and swoosh went the water. If they had stayed around to watch, they would have been very disappointed. The Shapiro kid always went out the door yelling "MMMMMM Blanche" I love these memories.