BOYS’ NIGHT OUT AT CHINA INN last Friday turned into an Agatha Christie whodunit when we were accused of shorting the restaurant $20. A miscalculation is always possible when I’m involved, but we KNEW there had been a $20 bill on the tray when it was taken away. Wallet-checking turned to fingerpointing, with even the hapless Nacho spending a few seconds as a suspect. Each of us grudgingly put another five dollars in the pot and went on our way. The next day the offending bill was discovered, having apparently taken flight and fluttered into a crevice between the wall and the cash register. Owner Andy offered me a free drink at the bar when I came to reclaim the money, but there was only one thing that would make me feel better ” a brownie sundae at Good Time Charlie’s. “I know I can’t eat the whole thing,” I told food server Autumn. “But you can die trying,” she responded. Exactly.
Artistic Licenses: I never caught up to “SHRTNQT” to see if she (or he) was short and cute. Come to think of it, I’m pretty sure they were short. I spotted “TRFKSUX” on northbound I-5 near Del Mar. On most days it would have been appropriate, but all lanes were proceeding nicely.
50 Years Ago: The city Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit to allow development of a $3 million Methodist home for the retired in northeast Pacific Beach. The site, on 40 acres of land north of Loring Street, is owned by Pacific Homes, an agency of the Methodist Church, which also owns Casa de Maãana in La Jolla. What could go wrong?
75 Years Ago: Rev. A. K. and Mrs. Locker, houseguests of Rev. William and Mrs. McCoy, spoke to the Christian Endeavor Society at the Presbyterian Church, telling of their work among the Navajo Indians in Leupp, Ariz. Rev. Locker also showed pictures of the Grand Canyon and the Century of Progress exposition in Chicago.
100 Years Ago: Nearly 150 children “of the Industrial school” were treated to an outing in Pacific Beach on this date in 1908, transportation being provided by the Los Angeles and San Diego Beach railway. The children were guests of Mr. and Mrs. F. T. Scripps at Braemar, their bayside mansion. The day was spent in “riotous enjoyment” in the water, with all of the children being given a bag of candy by each of the Scripps children. Oh, man ” I am SO glad I wasn’t one of the teachers on the return train to San Diego. Taking four busloads of junior high kids to Disneyland was enough for this lifetime.
John Fry may be reached at (858) 272-6655 or [email protected].