The Broadway Cafe in Saskatoon is one of my favorite places to eat. It reminds me of the small town diners that haven’t updated their decor, but still deliver food that satisfies deep hunger. You find a lot of these across the prairies, but in the middle of broadway district amongst specialty shops, you’ll find the place. Great for a quick meal, hot drink, and in the summer the milkshakes are the best. Weekend brunches are a very busy time, recommend the huevos ranchero burrito or the eggs benedict special. Also be on the lookout for Professor Awesome, a gentleman in his 60’s or 70’s with the best goatee a guy could ever achieve in a lifetime.
But for a biting cold January evening, there was a small crowd inside, slight frost on the windows and entrance doors. Valentines decorations are already up around the retro cafe. Neon and chrome along the long counter in the back. Kitch decorations of Elvis, Marilyn, James Dean adorn the walls. Music playing 50’s from satellite radio, waitress with tie-dyed hair wrap is singing along under her breath,’Put your hands up and Shout’. Memories of the Blues Brothers movie bring a smirk to my face, it’s been a good day.
I’ve already devoured my breakfast burger (slices of ham, fried egg, swiss cheese) and delicious cubed fried spuds. Tempted to get a coffee for an after meal drink, but caffeine this late does not help my insomnia. Tempted to get one of the famous milkshakes, I’m good with my mint tea and water. My daughter being a slower eater is thoroughly enjoying all of her food, including the bacon which she was craving earlier. I should learn from her habits, but old ones are hard to break. She does have a method of peeling off the top layer of a pancake which may sound gruesome, but is definitely tasty.
Usually when we are out, people are surprised to find that she is my daughter, she looks more mature for her age. All I see is my kiddo. Preparing her brown toast, she stares intently at a small package of peanut butter and one of jam, almost manic look on her face. Holding them up to her eyes she looks back and forth between the two plastic packages.
Me, soap opera voice : Doctor, what have you found?
Kid : One is deeper than the other… weird.
Me : Fascinating, did you use… the science?
Kid : Ba-Hoo-wha?
Both of us crack up at the sound of the mixed up words. When we finally get it togther, I go on to explain that in B movies sometimes would actually skip over the explanation of how things work, by calling it ‘The Science’. Or just satisfy a question like how the raygun is going to stop the lava… and it will because the main hero is a SCIENTIST.
I nudge her again with the line…
Me, soap opera voice : Doctor, did you use the science?
Kid : Uh-HUHHAA!
More silliness and laughter ensue. We both get looks from our outburst of obvious silly fun, but we don’t care. It’s not what we’re doing, but how we’re doing it. By having fun. And Broadway Cafe is a great place to make memories.
I’m still here,
Pearce
Pearce Kilgour 