Hometown Cafe

 (Originally on Remake For Restaurants blog posted in May of 2020)

The bus showed up. We weren't ready. In the weeds. Big time.

Maybe we had some warning signs: HIV... H1N1... Ebola...

Now, our favorite hometown cafes, cozy pubs, breakfast nooks, posh places and night clubs are closed and might never open again.

Rodeo cowboys and cowgirls have them. Police and firemen and women do too. Union workers...

They have organizations with funds to draw on in case of injury. Yes, there are some out there locally for restaurant workers, but what about the restaurants?

The restaurant industry is unique on many levels and creates unique situations when it suffers. Right now it's suffering. But I don't need to tell you that.

It's the neighbourhood places you love that won't make it. The big chains probably will. And they're the ones getting the money. Excuse me?

What if there was a fund that could help the little guy? Built locally to help locally. Just to keep them alive.  Not WHEN disaster hits. BEFORE it hits. Yes, people are banning together now, BUT...

I'm a truck driver. Driving my 18 wheels all around North America delivering food. But before, I was a waitress. For over 30 years. Loved it. Which is why I made a movie. Didn't want to. Wanted to drive a big rig.

When I talked to my friend Bobby who is struggling to keep his 31 year old restaurant afloat, I was very sad. I was one of the original crew back in 1988. Stayed for almost 15 years and we recently had a fabulous 30 year reunion. Relationships. What it's about.

The movie "Did I Say Thousand Island?" has been seen all over the world. It's old. Premiered in 2007. Still being watched. Why? People like it and they relate to its people and their stories.

What if it was remade and used to create funds to have for when the next virus hits. And it will. Not being doom and gloomly, just trying to problem solve. I'm a waitress.  Can't help it.

Cut enough lemons. Bake enough pies. Be prepared.

It doesn't have to be complicated. Just takes the right person to get it. 

padivita@gmail.com