Having visited Sedona and the Grand National Park in Arizona, and Lake Powell, Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon national parks in Utah, my wife, Beverly, our daughter, Sonia, and I were driving on I-15 on our way to visit my nephew Don Leazer Jr. in Las Vegas when we happened to see a Cracker Barrel restaurant in St. George, Utah.
We decided to stop and have lunch. As we were waiting at the hostess’ station before being seated, I happened to notice a familiar-looking bottle in the ever-present ice tub. I picked it up, and sure enough, it was a bottle of Cheerwine!
I couldn’t believe my eyes. How did this taste of home get out here? On the way out, I decided to purchase the bottle to bring a bit of hometown taste to my nephew in Las Vegas. He was overjoyed to receive it. After all, we grew up in Salisbury with Cheerwine flowing through our veins!
After returning to our home on Long Island, I called my nephew. He had driven to see his daughter north of Salt Lake City the day after we left, and driving along I-15, he had stopped at the same Cracker Barrel and had bought a supply of Cheerwine for himself. (Now he knows where to find the taste of home.)
Now, if we could just persuade Cracker Barrel and Cheerwine to expand to Long Island … and have someone open a Rowan-type barbecue restaurant here, that would really be a taste of home!
I am a retired Lutheran pastor and a class of 1950 graduate of Boyden High School. I’d be happy to hear from my classmates.
— Rev. Carl Wayne Leazer
Manorville, N.Y.