Wednesday, October 24, 2001

Rotary Club of Southington, 2001 Apple Harvest Booth Awards


Once in a great while, an event occurs which is of such stature that it cannot be ignored.  The Southington Rotary Apple Harvest Booth semi-standing awards committee felt that this year we experienced one such event, and we are here to.....honor it?

I must point out that in the history of the Rotary Apple Harvest Booth, going back to....well, a long, long time... one event stands above all others.  Let me take you back a few years.  It’s late afternoon on the last day of the festival and Rotary has decided to begin dismantling the booth – floors must be unscrewed and disassembled according to some secret formula known only to John Ryan, fryolaters must be emptied and cleaned, refrigerators must be wrestled.

But before that, because the Fritter Booth next door was still doing a brisk business, the crew is in their pre-dismantle relaxation mode -  John Kennedy and Steve Parsons sharing a cola in the front, John ‘Curly’ Mullett going around back to check the propane tanks.   After fiddling around with the propane for a bit, Curly must have muttered out loud, “There seemed to be a leak here and what happens if this thing blows up!” 

All of a sudden all hell breaks loose! Panic sets in at the Fritter Booth!  Workers yelling and screaming, bodies FLYING out of the booth as Messrs Parson/Kennedy look on with bewilderment.  Curly appears around front and announces understatedly that he thinks there might be a problem as the sounds of fire/police sirens and screaming people fleeing for there lives, fill the early Autumn evening air.  Steve Parsons suggests that this might be a wonderful time to hand in the remaining tokens, and the committee conveniently disappears into the crowd.  Legend has it that only a heroic effort by Pauline Levesque saved the Rotary Club from being banished from the Festival forever.  John ‘Curly’ Mullett to this day is forbidden to be anywhere near the propane tanks.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I’d like you all to greet warmly the Southington Rotary Club Apple Harvest Booth Hall of Fame’s only current member – John ‘Curly’ Mullett!!!!

Fast forward to 2001.  The location is different now – churches are not at risk.  We no longer sell grinders or chicken fingers.  But the Southington Rotary spirit remains.  The booth has been set up, refrigerators have been wrestled into place and, on this wonderful Friday afternoon, we are putting on the final touches in preparation for the Festival’s opening.  I, as a seasoned observer (not to be confused with a seasoned curlyfry), am up in the front of the booth doing what I do best – observing.  Ummmm....i observe, fries in exchange for fritters....fries in exchange for chili......and are these wild pigs really officers of the law?    I ponder............

Ron Graves and Charlie Cocuzza are testing the fryolators......seasoned veterans making sure that our famous fries (small order- two tokens, large order-same size, larger container-four tokens) are cooked to perfection.

I hear in the background “Rod, this flame went out, I’m going to light it again.”  Distracted by some passersby, I continue to observe and ponder.....look at the....when BOOM!.....my heart leaps from my chest!  I think I’m having a heart attack!....Gathering myself, I turn around.......Charlie is standing there with a look of shock and amazement, but seems ok.....I turn to Rod......my immediate thoughts go to Santa Claus in the off-season.....covered head to toe with soot!.....hair, eyebrows, ....he looks dazed.....so I can’t tell if anything is wrong – he always looks that way......I yell, “Rod, are you ok,”  not knowing whether to laugh or cry......concerned for Rod’s safety...knowing that he’s in charge of the booth this weekend and not wanting to have to take his place......

Suddenly, to my relief, Charlie and Rod, in the best spirit of Rotary, each start blaming the other for the near-catastrophe, calling the other careless and incompetent.  Kyong Wilson, a fellow observer, rushes in to cool down  the two hot-tempered young bucks, as I thought to myself – Curly, I think we have two winners here!!!!

Ladies and Gentlemen – please welcome the latest inductees into the Southington Rotary Apple Harvest Booth Hall of Fame – Charlie Cocuzza and Rod Greaves!!!!!

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