Way Back In The Day

The Beach Cafe has been in Troon forever.

Well, forever, I mean as long as I can remember. Next Door to the Beach Cafe, is The Maharani Indian Restaurant. Before it was the Maharani, it was the Lang Spoon, and before it was the Lang Spoon, it was a Cafe, The Tartan Cafe, and a Fishmongers. (I may be lying about the Fishmonger), but the Tartan Cafe was for real.

When the Tartan Cafe was sold, and became the Lang Spoon, my mum was the book-keeper (Like mother, like daughter), and having a contact on the inside as it were, got me a job. I do believe i was working too early, but then again I think perhaps that there weren't as many regulations about children working all hours in those days!

I started off as chief Pot Washer, and then was promoted to Dish Washer. Dish Washer meant I didn't have to bend over the massively huge pot sink - I just had to bend over a little sink in the corner, rinse plates and the fill a dishwasher. Then burn my hands on the dishes as they came out clean.

I stayed with the Lang Spoon through it's next owners, and in their attempts to cut costs, I became, "starter maker", "sweet maker", and dish washer. In the school holidays, I also served coffees in the morning, and lunches. As time went on I progressed to serving out front. I think I've told before of my hopelessness at waitressing, and the man with the fish head in his lap?

My favourite time though, was while I was still assigned "Kitchen Staff". Of a morning and sometimes of an evening, I would sit in the back door, peeling spuds! Next Door, through the close, Rita, one of the sisters who owned the Beach Cafe would be doing her own thing, and we would shout to each other - normally ending in a chorus of "When I'm calling yoooooooooo"; Believe me, I'm not a great Singer, Rita was even better!

The Beach Cafe is still as it always was. Great Coffee and now, there is only Ada, Rita was taken from us tragically young, and I still miss that booming voice shouting out the door to me, "Hallooo Yooooo".

I think I'll stop by for a coffee at the weekend!