THE TOWN HOUSE

Left: The old movie theater as it is today

(sigh)

When I was a young child growing up in a small Virginia town, entertainment was playing Kick the Can on a summer afternoon or sledding down the Baptist Church hill in winter (providing we had been blessed with a snowfall). There were also Saturday afternoon double features at the one operating movie theater, which was owned by the town eccentric, Mr. Hal Lyon. Mr. Lyon also owned a magnificent old place called The Town House, which was a fairly upscale hotel and what would be termed a bed and breakfast today. The Town House had a restaurant, too, and it was a special treat to have dinner there. There was the yummiest fried chicken and prime rib and homemade cobblers for dessert.

But for me the best part of having dinner at The Town House was when Hal Lyon downed half a pint of Jack Daniels and stumbled into the dining room to pound out dirges on the pipe organ. Did I mention he was eccentric? I always loved to watch him swaying side-to-side with his eyes closed belting out a deafening chorus of his latest favorite. My parents were, of course, horrified at this, but I was enthralled every time. I didn't recognize it as such then, but it was dreadfully depressing music; but I loved the sound of the pipe organ and thought Mr. Lyon was terrific.

I recently found an old menu that was printed in the local hometown paper many, many years ago -- I guess my mother saved it -- and I laughed out loud at the prices. A dinner with soup, salad, entree, dessert and beverage was

$1.50!!!

The good ole days, huh?

(sigh)