The last HoJos

I've gotten into the habit of listening to “BBC America” and am often surprised by the range of topics they air. Last week they had a segment about the last Howard Johnson store going out of business. I couldn't help but laugh when I heard this. It reminded me of a time when my mother would have been thrilled to hear the news.

My father died in 1960 and a year later my mother's only sister passed away too. She and her husband lived in Vermont but had spent the winter months at their second home in Florida for many years. In the mid 60's our uncle invited mother to join him in Florida. He offered to pick her up in Massachusetts and they would then wend their way South in his big old black Buick.

For those of you too young to know the Howard Johnson chain was THE place to eat in those years. The colorful orange roof and the 28 flavors of ice cream were merely backdrops for the menu of comfort food as mother was to find out. Ho-Jos, as it was known, was everywhere and it was the ONLY place that our Uncle would eat. He was very set in his ways and no amount of coaxing by mother could convince him to eat elsewhere.

Mother finally gave up since he was the one financing the trip but I remember clearly when she told me “If I never hear another word about the sizable portions and the tender-sweet clam strips it will be too soon !” 

Rest in peace Mother … your wish is fulfilled.