St. Patrick's Day

Dear Mom,

I don’t recall any St. Patty’s Day celebrations, but I’m sure they were done with gusto. Maybe one of the routine trips to Wiedenger’s Tavern happened on St. Patrick’s Day. Ruthie and I would wait patiently for our chocolate soda and beer nuts while you all talked and drank. I’d stare at a picture of Custer’s Last Fight wondering why people fought, scalped heads, and killed each other. It was the most interesting—everything else advertised beer products, although the print was produced by Anheuser Busch.

Mr. Wiedenger worked hard making it look effortless. He served everyone with his pleasant demeanor, even talked to us kids. And I was told he never took a tip.

Did you know when Mr. Wiedenger sold the tavern, I really wanted to buy it and turn it into a coffee house (before they were popular)? Recently divorced and three children age 4 and under made it difficult. Even if I had money, I didn’t know how I would’ve managed running a business and taking care of children. Old time Florissant regulars wouldn’t have been too happy even though it didn’t lack taverns. I would’ve served homemade goodies and thought they’d get over it not being a tavern after they sank their teeth into some cherry pie. It’s still a tavern. It could’ve been a success, but timing is everything.

Hanging on Suzanne’s wall there’s an old photo of you standing at the bar of Weidenger’s with a soldier next to you. No one knows who it is. The stories we could create…