Randy’s

When my mother and I were teaching together, we had the unique benefit of having spring break and both of us being adults.  For about 12 years in a row, we came to Minnesota.  We typically spent the end of the week in Rochester with my paternal grandmother, but we started right here in Red Wing with Grandpa Lou.  My maternal grandmother died very young, and Grandpa Lou remarried, so these visits were to see him and my step-grandmother.  My mom had red hair, so I always gave her a little bit of grief for being Phyllis’ red-headed stepchild.  

Mom, Grandpa, Phyllis and I would often have breakfast at a spot that was nothing really extravagant, but to me, it was the very most Red Wing place to go: Randy’s. Randy’s, for me, is a extra-large plate of memories with a side of nostalgia.  Cas and I walked in this morning, placed our orders and walked to a booth on the side by the door.  I had sat in that booth before.  We were near a large table in the center of the room, filled with folks from my grandfather’s generation.  I like to refer to them as Grandpa did- old duffers.  The old duffers at Randy’s are as much a part of this memory for me as the plates, the booths and the food.  What they do- every time- is walk around and fill each other’s coffee cups.  The restaurant keeps a pot in the middle on sort of a service island, and if one of the old guys has an empty cup, he goes and picks up the pot to fill up everyone else’s cup in the place.  

Cas was sitting at the table with two coffee cups in front of him when this happened.  I was up locating a spoon to stir in the cream and sugar.  Neither of us needed a refill, but it was the very most Red Wing moment I could have hoped for.  Just an old duffer, walking around with a coffee pot, like I had seen so many times before, but not for a long time.  

There were plenty of other things we did this morning, and we’re about to head out for lunch.  I promise, I will write about the rest of it all later- walking by the river, the mayflies, the hike up Barn Bluff- but for now, I had to talk about Randy’s.  For a nothing special kind of restaurant, it certainly made my whole morning.  

And just because it’s always at the end, here is the photo album: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2sYnZaQSheDb6sfJ6