A friend from high school has stayed in touch all these mifffm years and occasionally sends me news clippings to keep me abreast of what’s happening in our home town. One of the most recent read in a blazing headline, BOARD OF HEALTH CLOSES DOWN POPULAR GREEK’S EMPORIUM FOR VIOLATIONS.  Well, that was a shock to someone who, for years, has held that ice cream parlor, cum chocolate- store, in highest regards.  A disgruntled customer no doubt saw evidence of mouse habitation and knew the right people to call.

An inspection followed and the results are neither appetizing nor minor.  Seems that the two-story building (residential upstairs) was literallly overrun by mice, rats and insects which had systematically, through  the years, hollowed out all the insulation material of the interior and exterior walls and  established efficient but disgusting runways. It was reported that pounds and pounds of excrement were piled hither and  yon and overflowed into the kitchen and other rooms on the bottom floor.  Anyone who ever partook of the goodies sold at Greek’s had to be familiar with the shiny, immaculate, glazed tile that covered all the walls.  The floor was carpeted and vacuumed often and the little bistro tables and chairs were always pristine….we thought.  Little pairs of local ladies could always be found sipping away on hot afternoons under slowly revolving ceiling fans.  When school let out students stood four deep at  the counter.  Behind that same counter one of the long time owners was always cheerful as he created one of his signature banana splits or chocolate shakes.  As the ladies departed they could not resist buying some of the home made chocolate candies displayed next to the cash register.  As Greek’s was on my way to work after school I often stopped by for a quick to-go cherry coke to hold me through dinner until 7 p.m. when I finished my shift as a grocery clerk.  I envied the ladies who could loll all afternoon and dreamed that one day, I, too, could live such a glamorous life.  Now here I was reading a frightening  front page expose about that glamorous building and its less t han desirable tenants.

From what I read the popular restaurant was in danger of being demolished and all contents along with it.  I continued reading.  The owners emotionally denied any knowledge of a health violation and the existence of rodents.  They tearfully promised to do everything humanly possible to clean it up and one day reopen.  I applauded.  Not  that they would reopen, but that  it would be demolished.  I tried to remember if I  had ever eaten anything there and recalled an  afternoon with my mother when we shared lunch.  That is all I recall of my possible brush with ptomaine.  The article continued,  “In view of the offer of a local businessman to underwrite extreme clean-up and extensive building repairs, the county has agreed to inspect again after said work is completed and withhold further action till then.  The estimate for the work was over was over $l00,000.  That businessman must have really liked Greek ice cream.

As I had not heard from my friend for quite awhile I called her to get an update.  She reported that Greek’s still stands at its familiar location, but there has been not one constructive nor destructive thing  done to it, years later. The rodents apparently still exist in rat heaven.  She couldn’t remember seeing any windows covered in plywood so passersby can view all those little tables just waiting for customers to stop by.  No one has stepped up to rebuild and all former owners have gone on to a better life on another universe.  I will never get the chance to sit at one of those tables and sip on a glorious, colorful concoction.  I will never get to pass on my opinion of climate change or how a female  president could liven up things in D.C.  The world will continue to spin and the sun to shine without my input at Greek’s, but that’s just fine.  A change has occurred in my home town , but life will go on.  Some day  there will be another ice cream shop and they just might make their own candy.  I will happily order a dish of ice cream there, just hold the chocolate bits.