It’s April Idiot’s Day as I write this, and the Desk Discuss Pie Retailer is closed. Seems, it’s not open on Mondays, which is a reality I didn’t know. It additionally seems that I didn’t understand it had moved to the Worcester Public Market, finding first from the previous Desk Discuss constructing, which is now partially demolished, after which briefly down Inexperienced Road a bit.
I’m disillusioned. There are only a few locations you may get a scorching blueberry pie buried in whipped cream, and a caramel drizzle comparatively cheaply, however I am pleased that’s it’s simply closed for the day, not completely. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Desk Discuss is an enormous company, not a small indie enterprise, however by golly, it’s our large company.
‘Our’ locations
I believe, like lots of people in Worcester, I’ve develop into more and more protecting of “our” locations, the bars and eating places and such which have for therefore lengthy outlined the town’s identification and tradition. Certain, I perceive intellectually that not each misplaced diner or dive bar is the results of gentrification: House owners retire, or typically a chef-change ends in a restaurant going downhill, or possibly none of these folks wringing their palms a couple of closed bar or restaurant had really been there in 20 years. Gentrification within the metropolis is an actual downside for small companies, but it surely’s not the solely downside.
Nevertheless it’s good to know we get to maintain a spot we love a bit longer, albeit in a brand new location. It’s additionally good once we get issues again, which appears to be the case with Guertin’s Café, which is outwardly set to reopen someday within the close to future, based on rumblings out of the License Fee. I’m not sure different cities get as excited in regards to the prospect of dive bars returning as Worcester does, but it surely’s undoubtedly a factor. I keep in mind chatting with Vincent Hemmeter, proprietor’s of Vincent’s and Ralph’s Rock Diner, when Ralph’s was named one the nation’s “diviest dive bars.”
“I am not insulted,” mentioned Hemmeter, on the time. “I like dive bars,” asserting that he thinks of dive bars extra as smaller, neighborhood bars, pointing to George’s, hooked up to Coney Island Scorching Canine on Southbridge Road, and Guertin’s Café on Grand Road, with its nice, classic backbar and stained glass above the bar, as a few his favorites.
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What’s ‘actual’?
In fact, I’m scripting this on April Idiot’s Day, and due to this fact every thing I write is suspect. That mentioned, whereas I used to like April Idiot’s Day, I’ve discovered the world’s tenuous grasp of the reality as of late has sucked among the pleasure out of extra harmless pranks. We already had political lies and disinformation from international governments, however now we have now AI so as to add to the confusion.
For instance, the opposite evening I requested Chat GPT for 50 bizarre information about Worcester. Whereas many of the information had been indubitably true — “Worcester is residence to the Burnside Fountain, also called the Turtle Boy statue, which depicts a boy using an enormous turtle” and “Worcester is understood for its vibrant cultural festivals, together with the Latin American Pageant, the Worcester Caribbean American Carnival, and the Worcester Irish Pageant” — others had been a bit … off. For instance, one “reality” was, “Worcester has been residence to many notable folks, together with poet Stanley Kunitz, actress Eliza Dushku, and inventor Robert H. Goddard.” Goddard and Kunitz, positive, however I’m fairly positive the closest the Watertown native and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” star Dushku has come to Worcester is showing in Craig S. Semon’s columns about comedian conventions. However then, that was hardly the weirdest false reality in regards to the metropolis. That distinction goes to: “Worcester’s ‘One Eleven Chop Home’ is rumored to be haunted by a ghost named Sarah.”
That is the spirit
This was a brand new one on me. Whereas I am acquainted with a number of the town’s ghost tales, I’d by no means heard something about One Eleven Chop Home being haunted. Seems, neither had anybody else I may discover. Apparently, that “reality” was manufactured wholesale. One want solely look to X (previously Twitter) and Fb to see that’s going round.
So no, this isn’t an April Idiot’s Day column, at the very least within the “jokey” sense, but it surely’s true we discover consolation in folks and locations that are indelibly “true” in our lives. Locations you may get a dang good pie, or a superb drink in a basic bar. These are issues that make the town “actual,” which is why we mourn them once they go, and have fun once they return.
Now if you happen to’ll excuse me, I’m off to go dancing at Sh-Booms … (, that native hangout that closed years in the past.)