TWO DRINKS
There used to be a small eating place on, I think, Church Avenue, in downtown Roanoke,Virginia. It might have been one location for a franchised, fast-food place of our day, but I can’t recall seeing them in other cities and towns.
We, as a family, during the late 1920’s and early ‘30’s, when in Roanoke, used to stop frequently at the place called the “White Tower”. It got the name from the fact that it was construction of large, three-foot squares of some type of white enamel-coated metal. The end facing the street continued upward to form a castle-like, square tower – hence the name. The practical purpose of the tower was to conceal the large fan assembly and exhaust pipes from the cooking areas below.
The front window had a large sign I remember so well. In plain old black and white generic type it proclaimed to passersby that they had:
“Buttermilk! Deep Enough to Swim a Horse!”
It may well have included a “five cents” price, as well, because that was the going rate for drinks in those days.
They had a parking area for perhaps six or eight cars, diagonally, and since the place was small and usually crowded, one of us boys usually went in with Dad to help carry the food out to our car.
They featured sandwiches of various kinds, hot dogs, hamburgers and barbecue treats. Their buttermilk offer, however, caught and held my attention.
They would probably be hailed into court at some level today to explain why they insisted on doing false advertising, because it is highly unlikely they had a horse handy..
Above all, I will always remember that sign in the window and the fine buttermilk!
We as family ate at the White Tower when in downtown Roanoke, and also at a place west of Roanoke just as we topped the , then, long, slow climb of the Christiansburg mountain on our way to Radford. Everyone, it seems, stopped at Charlie's because most cars and trucks were boiling and roiling when they made it to the top of the long pull up the rutted, dirt road from down in Rose Valley, Shawsville and Elliston. Charlie's ample driveway looked like a field of geysers at one of the national parks out west with so many cars and trucks spouting steam plumes
So often, I find it was not because the food was any better or less expensive at such places necessarily. It was the people who worked there who, by their friendly attitudes, I think, were a lure.. We felt that they were one with us in so many ways. We developed regular places ...usually happy, friendly people, such as the man who wore a white cowboy hat at the White Tower, or Charlie - overweight, always beaming and projecting good cheer as only a black man can. He owned and successfully operated that place for many years. Charlie had a fabulous memory , too. After just a few visits, he knew where we were from and used our names:“ Mr. Al,” and “Mr. Andy” and that impressed a pair of pre-teen boys no end.
Charlie did not have “buttermilk deep enough to swim a horse”, but he did, I remember, stock a semi-popular commercially bottled drink which never caught on, but which I liked ...a chocolate-flavored drink called “Mavis.” Anyone remember that one? Small, but good. I can't be the only person who is blessed with these little reminders of the good things and good times we shared long ago.
A.L.M. July 25, 2003 [c664wds]”
