By
William E. Spear

Volume 1, Issue 17

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Full Transcript –

THE MESSENGER DINES OUT, PODCAST EPISODE FOUR – The Take Out

ORIGINAL DATE: 25 APRIL 2023

(Footsteps approach and stop)

Hello . . . and welcome to the Three Fifty-seven.

My name is William Spear and we are at Chez Highway in New Jersey for our series titled THE MESSENGER DINES OUT.

Chez Highway is the new name of the diner started by Jim and Francine Dale. The owner is one of their grandkids and is arguing over how the place should be run.

Now, the Fourth, and Final, Episode titled The Take Out.

The new owner did not appreciate the music of Chez Highway being criticized by a pair of strangers: “What do you know about music?”

Frankie answered: “Some of the best music ever made was played here.”

Jimmie enthused: “There was Clive Jones and the Five Tones. And Sarah Hepp and the Hepp Cats.”

(Theme for The New Owner fades up and under)

Then Frankie bragged: “This place rocked.”

The owner chimed in: “Why don’t you take your Five Cats-“

“-It’s the Five Tones and the Hepp Cats,” Frankie corrected.

Jimmie continued: “With Clive Jones and Sarah Hepp . . . respectively.”

The owner was desperate to get out of the conversation: “This is fascinating but I’ve got culinary masterpieces to create for demanding clients.”

Jimmie countered: “Try creating a space for families to get out every now and then. For teenagers to go on first dates and young adults to build lives together.”

Frankie added: “This place celebrated christenings and mourned after funerals. People listened to their favorite teams lose and win and lose again.”

And Frankie went further: “A place where people can laugh and cry and talk for a while is more priceless than your “culinary masterpieces.”

The owner roared: “What do you know about running a business?”

They smiled and Jimmie said: “We started this place back in the fifties.” Frankie nodded: “Your parents met here.”

A doubting light bulb flickered behind the owner’s eyes: “If you are Grandpa Jim and Grandma Francine then which counter stool-“

“-Third from the left,” said Frankie who bounced the verbals to Jimmie for: “And you always spun counterclockwise.” He sent it back to Frankie for: “You were a cute kid. Annoying but cute”

She leaned in and went further: “It really is us.”

Doubt left the grandkid: “A lot has changed.”

Jimmie shrugged, “Thanks for the news flash.”

The grandkid sounded more like just a kid: “What am I going to do?”

Frankie offered: “Get better music” and Jimmie finished with,”Remember the family.”

They faded away faster than a free ice cream sundae and the grandkid spun around looking for help: “Hey, I can’t do this by myself. Come back! Please come back!”

(Theme for The New Owner fades out)

A few days later the Messenger went back and the Chez Highway sign was gone. Inside where signs that read “Under New Management.”

From the kitchen a familiar voice called out: “Hey.”

The Messenger spun around. It was Jim and Francine’s grandkid.

“Saw the signs. Sorry this didn’t work out,” consoled the Messenger.

The grandkid admitted that Chez Highway was a bad idea and the Messenger offered best wishes for whatever was next.

“I’m staying right here. Making it more of a family place,” said the grandkid. “Even got a new name.”

The grandkid pulled up a menu with The Next Dale printed on it.

The Messenger smiled and the grandkid continued: “Our re-opening is this Friday.”

“When I worked here,” remembered the Messenger. “We had the best Friday night dinner in the county.”

The grandkid enthused: “Come back and tell us how we’re doing. On the house.”

“What about paying the bills?” asked the Messenger.

“Re-connecting with the community is the best way to keep the place open,” said the grandkid. “I think that’s how Jim and Francine would’ve done it.”

The Messenger agreed and left. The owner of The Next Dale got ready for the re-opening.

(New theme for The New Owner fades up and under)

You’ve just listened to the Final Episode of THE MESSENGER DINES OUT.

Sound effects are by Georgisound and theme music is through the courtesy of Serge Quadrado and Shiden Beats Music. All are at PixaBay.

The Three Fifty-seven is written and produced by William Spear.

Thank you for listening and . . . oh, baby! . . . get back to the dancing.

(New theme for The New Owner fades out)

By
William E. Spear

Volume 1, Issue 16

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Full Transcript –

THE MESSENGER DINES OUT, PODCAST EPISODE THREE – The Order

ORIGINAL DATE: 18 APRIL 2023

(Footsteps approach and stop)

Hello . . . and welcome to the music-less Three Fifty-seven.

My name is William Spear and this is our series titled THE MESSENGER DINES OUT.

The Messenger’s car was retrieved from the police station and the Visit started. Just like the boss said, Jim and Francine’s Place was changed and it went way beyond the new sign out front.

Now, Episode Three titled The Order.

I walked in and the place had all the personality of a mausoleum: grey walls, grey ceiling, and a grey floor. In between were grey tables and chairs.

There were people everywhere but not much sound. Most diners were bent over their mobile phones. Tapping. Swiping. Adjusting ear buds. All in unison.

Every now and then people leaned together for a group shot. Followed up by the ritual online postings of the photographs and back to tapping and swiping. And adjusting ear buds.

(Theme for The New Owner plays underneath)

I knew why they had earbuds. The overhead music was a Van Gogh moment. I’ve been to more interesting funerals.

And that reminded me why I was there. A few minutes of looking around led me to the new owner.

“Hey, is this the place started by Jim and Francine Dale?” I wondered.

The new owner looked at me as if I was wearing socks on my head.

I was told patrons came to the restaurant for a finely curated culinary moment.”

“Patrons? At a diner?” I asked.

“Oh, we have clients from across the country and around the world coming to Chez Highway.”

Through a miracle I did not laugh at the name Chez Highway and continued, “I heard there was a funeral coming up. Jim and Francine always closed for funerals.”

A side order of disdain was thrown in my direction: “”Sorry, We’re Closed” signs won’t pay our bills,” I was told.

I matched the disdain and raised it with a main meal of contempt, “And supporting the community was how Jim and Francine kept the doors open.”

The new owner pushed back hard: “Nobody asked for advice.”

I was fed up with the kid’s arrogance. “I’m not bringing you advice. I’m bringing you a message. And I’m not the only one.”

I left and the owner returned to curating Chez Highway.

Out of the kitchen came two familiar voices: “The place sure has changed a bit, Jimmy.”

“You’re right about that, Frankie. What do you suppose is coming out of the speakers?”

(Theme for The New Owner plays underneath)

Frankie answered: “It sounds like your brother’s old roadster.”

The new owner joined the conversation: “It’s music. Sets the tone for the experience.”

Frankie asked: “What experience? Losing an appetite?”

Frankie and Jimmy laughed while the new owner fumed.

(Theme for The New Owner fades up and under)

You’ve just listened to Episode Three of THE MESSENGER DINES OUT.

Sound effects are by Georgisound and theme music is through the courtesy of Serge Quadrado. Both are at PixaBay.

(Theme for The New Owner fades out.)

The Three Fifty-seven is written and produced by William Spear.

Thank you for listening.

(Footsteps start and walk off)

By
William E. Spear

Volume 1, Issue 14

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Full Transcript –

THE MESSENGER DINES OUT, PODCAST EPISODE ONE – Setting the Table

ORIGINAL DATE: 4 APRIL 2023

(Theme for Jim and Francine’s Place fades up)

Hello . . . and welcome to Let’s Go To the Hop. No, not really; it’s the Three Fifty-seven.

(Theme for Jim and Francine’s Place plays)

My name is William Spear and this is our new series titled THE MESSENGER DINES OUT.

(Theme for Jim and Francine’s Place plays)

A long time ago, Jim and Francine Dale started a diner in central New Jersey. Rather than work for someone else they made their own jobs. Jim knew how to cook from the Marines and Francine was a brain about bookkeeping.

The diner grew and became an important part of the community. However, several generations later and it was on the verge of going broke.

Now, Episode One titled Setting the Table.

(Theme for Jim and Francine’s Place fades out)

I used to be a “messenger.” Imagine a “fixer” or an “auditor” but more intelligent. . . . Way, way more intelligent. I was called when people lost their way. When I made a visit, an encounter of the cerebral kind was coming.

But I’m retired now. Got a place down the shore in Spring Lake. Crazy right? Move to a lake to live near the shore. It’s a nice town. Know what I mean?

Anyway, I got a call from my old boss. Wanted to buy me a cup of coffee. You got to know this – my old old boss doesn’t buy anything for anyone. Something’s brewing and it’s more than a cup of coffee.

So I drive up, toss quarters into a meter, and waltz in. I say “Hello” to a few and get shown to “The Office.” Now I know something’s up. “The Office” is not for a casual conversation.

My old boss is behind a desk big enough to have two area codes. Coffee is poured, crumb cake is offered, nice-nice is exchanged – “Hey, you look good. Not half as good as you; lose some weight?”

More coffee, more crumb cake, and we move onto “How’s the family? Wow; they grow up too fast.”

The conversation is like beach traffic on the Garden State Parkway on Fridays in the summer – slow. Painfully, painfully slow.

Forty-two minutes go by and I got three minutes left on the meter. I stand and say “Thanks for the hospitality” and make my way to the door.

The owner of the two-area-code-desktop casually says, “You hear about the old Dale place.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Jim and Francine’s diner. By the highway.”

I remembered a lot of good times and bragged, “When I was there we had the best Friday night dinner in the county. Washed dishes for a few years and waited tables, too. . . . Why do you care?”

The boss meets my gaze and says, “It needs a Visit.”

(Theme for Jim and Francine’s Place fades up)

You’ve just listened to Episode One of the series THE MESSENGER DINES OUT.

Theme music is through the courtesy of Francesco Biondi at PixaBay.

The Three Fifty-seven is written and produced by William Spear.

Thank you for listening.

Cue the bobby socks.

(Theme for Jim and Francine’s Place fades out)

A retired undercover operative is contacted to investigate a diner that changed the music in its jukebox. But this is no ordinary diner. It’s Jim and Francine Dale’s place started 70 years ago. And the operative has a history of unleashing encounters of the cerebral kind.

Tune into Episode One of THE MESSENGER DINES OUT on Tuesday 4 April 2023.

The podcast of this and other episodes may be found at https://shows.acast.com/the-357-by-william-e-spear .

To enjoy the full transcript and listen to the podcast, come back to http://www.twoplusplus.com .

By
William E. Spear

Volume 1, Issue 13

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Full Transcript –

SEVENTEEN, PODCAST EPISODE FOUR – Champions

ORIGINAL DATE: 28 MARCH 2023

(Tenny’s Theme fades up)

Hello . . . and welcome to the Three Fifty-seven.

(Tenny’s Theme plays)

My name is William Spear and this is our series titled SEVENTEEN.

(Tenny’s Theme plays)

In the previous episode, Principal Baker accused Superintendent di Stefano of hiding from her past.

And now, Episode Four . . . CHAMPIONS.

(Tenny’s Theme plays then fades out)

The Principal ripped into di Stefano: “You’ve been running away from your brother’s death – denying it even – for more than forty years.”

The Superintendent matched intensity: “I have never denied . . . anything . . .”

Baker swung fiercely: “He is dead.”

“He’s . . . well, he’s . . .,” stumbled the Superintendent,

“Dead,” pressured the Principal.

The Superintendent responded with, “Stop it. Stop it! STOP IT!”

“There was a funeral,” said the Principal. “And you didn’t go.”

The Superintendent continued to falter: “I don’t see what a funeral means from forty years ago.”

“It means you’re a coward,” roared the Principal. “The school can’t survive a coward.”

Di Stefano shot back: “You want guts? Here goes. My first decision is to fire you.”

“You haven’t got the backbone,” growled the Principal and she stormed from the auditorium.

Half a school and one hundred emotional miles away, history teacher Clarke Evans was propping up the still-unsteady and still-talking Trace Jones.

She spoke: “He really did punch me for no reason.”

The teacher reminded her that she grabbed Tenny’s arm and called him an Old-timer.

The Chief of Staff’s legs gave out and she fell into a trophy case. Her nose pressed against the plate glass. Inside was memorabilia of the school’s athletic history and she laughed.

She pointed to a picture and said: “That’s The Superintendent . . . as a cheerleader?”

Evans leaned over for a closer look. He saw a young Mills di Stefano and others standing with the football team looking at something not shown in the photograph.

It was from over forty years ago when the school won a conference title. But there wasn’t much celebrating going on in the picture.

Evans read the caption: “Gunderson High School – Champions, Then Tragedy.”

Meanwhile, two floors below, Jennifer Hargrove found Tenny and asked, “What’s happening?”

(Tenny’s Theme fades up)

You’ve just listened to Episode Four of the series SEVENTEEN.

Theme music is through the courtesy of Lemon Music Studio at PixaBay.

The Three Fifty-seven is written and produced by William Spear.

Thank you for listening.

(Tenny’s Theme fades out)