The Groupies

People of all ages frequented Fred's News and that was the cornerstone of the place.  Not only were individuals considered regulars, but certain groups of people also became known as regulars.  For Bill and I, these groups also told us what day of the week it was.  I know that may sound strange, but at times it seemed our lives were just a blur, from the time we arose, until we flopped,  totally exhausted, into bed for just a few hours sleep.  During the late Spring through early Winter we had what we called the "Gold Wing" club.  All its members rode beautiful Gold Wing motorcycles.  Some were couples like John and Carol, who each rode their own bikes.  Others like Bill and "Em" would come on one bike or "Em" would drive in by car and join them at the place.  Of course there was "The Lord", who actually lived quite close to Fred's News.  Some would spend the entire year with us, while others were snowbirds, heading south for the winter.  When they returned in the Spring, it meant warmer weather was on the way as well as the "Campers" returning to Salt Rock or Highland Campgrounds. Those who chose campgrounds in other surrounding towns would also return to Fred's News.  John and Louise from Massachusetts were probably the longest members of our campers group.  Both retired, Louise was an accomplished artist, while John loved the casinos.  A former contractor, John chose to drive a school bus part time during his time away from the campground.  Louise was forever yelling at John because he was slightly deaf.  I asked him how he managed to stay sane driving for noisy school kids.  He laughed and said "Never hear them, it is a school for the deaf, so they talk with their hands!" Who would of thought?  After the campground closed for the season, at least once a month John and Louise would drive in from Massachusetts, just to say hello and have breakfast with all the other Fred's News regulars.

Every afternoon between 2:30 and 3:00, we would get a rush of young teenage girls from the Academy of the Holy Family.  These girls had about thirty-minutes to do what they wanted as school was finished for the day. Ice tea, french fries, burgers, ice cream and more ice tea.  Before smoking was prohibited, it was also their time to smoke as many cigarettes as they could before they had to return to their dorms at the school.  If they were late, one of the Sisters would head down to roust them out.  If they saw Sister first, they would head out the back door.  Sister would come in and ask "Were the girls here smoking?"  First of all. the place was full of smoke, tables had glasses half full of ice tea, chairs were scattered in every direction, did she expect me to say "Nope haven't seen them" and secondly, "I can't lie, especially to a Nun!"  The good Sisters became wise fast, they stationed another Sister at the other end of the driveway by "Loosewheels" place.  You might say they had the place surrounded.   Some of the older gentlemen that met every afternoon at Fred's News, would be the lookout for the girls.  If they saw a Nun heading down from the convent, they'd sound the warning, "black and white on the way!" It was a game I believe, they all thoroughly enjoyed!