To begin, I have a correction to make. In a column late last year about Centralia’s Harmonicops I said Toni Breckel was the only member still living. I hadn’t done my homework; Joe Hatfield has also managed to escape the Grim Reaper. He had only been replaced in the group by Toni. Sorry.
Over the years I’ve lost track of the number of columns I’ve written that were based on items cluttering the top of my desk. That volume is peanuts when compared to the folder labeled “Notes for Future Columns” that still exists in my filing cabinet. So, if you’ve brought a note from your parents you may be excused at this point.
First, here’s one more item from the “things I miss and, perhaps, so do you?” accumulation. I’m referring to the now almost-forgotten establishment known as a drive-in restaurant, a gathering place in nearly every town, no matter how small. Centralia had “Walt’s Drive-in” on Old 99, just next to where I-5 crosses over Harrison. The only time I remember seeing it was when my fiance, Frances, and I were driving to Portland along Old 99 more than a half century ago to pick out a wedding ring from a jeweler, an old family friend.
At some drive-ins, waitresses would come out on roller skates to take your order, (where there was no curb of course). Remember how you had to roll your window up or down — depending on the season — far enough for the a tray to be hung on the side of your car? I wonder what the rate of loss of those trays was from the number of cars that drove off with the tray still attached.
Those drive-ins were known as a great place to end a movie date on Friday or Saturday nights. I’m going purely on hearsay about that part, though. I can only remember going to them with a full carload of friends from our church’s youth group. Tacoma’s most popular drive-in when I was a teenager was The Triple X on South Tacoma Way, named, of course, for the brand of root beer it sold.
Changing topics: Many years ago The Olympian newspaper printed a list of around 50 things parents often say to their children. My notes say I used ten of them at that time and then stuffed the list back in the folder. Here are ten more that sounded familiar: “Don’t look at me like that,” “You’re grounded for life,” “What do you have in your mouth?” “I don’t care who started it,” “You’re older, you should know better,” “Take it outside,” “Keep your hands to yourself,” “In a little while,“ “Can’t you just sit still for one minute?” and, finally, “Now look what you made me do.” Gee, there are still 30 more in the list.
Here’s another list I’ve gathered. It contains words and phrases used incorrectly so many times that the original meaning is buried in dust. The phrase, “Running the gauntlet” irks me more than any other. A gauntlet is a glove, and has been ever since knights threw one down to start a fight. The narrow passageway through which — in ancient times — transgressors were forced to run between rows of angry citizens was a “gantlet.” Did someone, way back, misunderstand or mispronounce the correct word? It still happens. Even today, a certain clam can be called either a “geoduck“ or a “Gooeyduck.”
Then we often say “ironic” when we mean “paradoxical” and, finally, “aggravate” instead of “irritate.” Irritate would be the itch from, say, an insect bite. “Aggravate” is scratching it and making it worse. Has this column irritated or aggravated you?
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Bill Moeller is a former entertainer, mayor, bookstore owner, city council member, paratrooper and pilot living in Centralia. He can be reached at bookmaven321@comcast.net.
