I
had never experienced a night quite like this one. As my parents were in town
visiting and my dad wanted to go out to dinner with one of his old friends that
lived in Tuscaloosa that he knew from high school. I already felt the feeling
of extreme warmth flowing through my body just being in the presence of my
parents but I would soon feel more at home then I had ever felt in my entire
life.
I pulled open the heavy door to
DePalma’s and stepped through the entrance into the dark restaurant. Right as I
walked in I was greeted by a man in a wheel chair. A smile that could have
stretched for miles, a body that seemed frail and weak but a personality that
could have lit up a room. I looked him in the eyes through his glasses as I
introduced myself and shook his left hand. “Hello sweetheart, I’m Charlie Bob
your dad’s friend from high school,” he replied. He whipped around his
wheelchair and signaled to the hostess that we were ready for our table now.
She instantly led us to a table that was accommodating for Charlie Bob and his
wheelchair and no longer than a second after sitting down a blonde older woman
walked over to our table. She seemed excited to see him and asked why they
hadn’t gotten lunch in a while. I started to get the vibe that I was sitting at
a table with someone that came here often and knew almost everyone in
Tuscaloosa.
As Charlie Bob insisted I order anything on
the menu, I did not back down from the offer. I had a favorite meal at DePalmas
that always tasted just as great every time I had it. I ordered the Spinach
Fettuccini Alfredo with Grilled Chicken on top. This was almost my ultimate
comfort food. It was consistent in taste, and the warm full feeling you get
when you eat something heavy is exactly what I got when I ate the creamy
alfredo sauce. As we sat and waited for our food the conversation never died
down. Charlie Bob had stories that could go on forever and the laughter never
stopped. There was something about his character that drew me in to wanting to
know more. And as I had the impression the he was someone that everyone knew
and loved, that idea kept growing as the night went on. Every ten minutes or so
I would say, someone that was walking to leave the restaurant would spot Charlie
Bob and stop at our table. Everyone just as excited as the last person to see
his smile and to tell him that they had to get together soon. This not only
showed me why my dad liked him so much but also why Tuscaloosa is a close knit
community. Learning about Charlie Bob’s life living in Tuscaloosa being born
and raised he also gave me the history of the building that DePalma’s was in.
From the time he can remember DePalma’s was first a bank and then it was a
women’s clothing store. He told me how he remembered having to go to this
clothing store with his mother and two older sisters and sitting there for
hours just itching to leave. “And then Depalma’s came in,” he said with
excitement in his eyes. “I didn’t have to go to the women’s clothing store anymore
and wish that it would go up in flames, but I could eat a nice meal in a family
environment with people I loved.” Hearing those words come out of his mouth
brought a smile to my face. Something about being able to sit in this
restaurant that I call one of my favorites in town with my parents and a man
that is so loved by the community made me feel very blessed.
That night not only did I feel the
great family atmosphere in the air due to the people I was with but also
because of the environment in the restaurant. The close tables and hundreds of
wine bottles surrounding the perimeter of the room give it a unique feel. The
sound of the fresh veal being pounded in the background and the subtle noise
from the other conversations going on around us gave it a homey feel. This is
one place in town that I can go to and expect the same environment and food
every time, and I take comfort in knowing that.
As the night when on I learned more
and more about Charlie Bob and his life and it was something that will probably
change my life forever. He informed me that when he was twenty five he was hit
by a drunk driver. The drunk driver hit
him on the driver side of his car and the crash broke his neck which ended up
paralyzing him for the rest of his life. Even though he is paralyzed though,
speaking with him and getting to know him throughout the night I didn’t even
really notice it. His amazing personality and warming heart took over his body
and made it seem like nothing was wrong with him. Every person that walked by
us that night after having a great meal greeted Charlie Bob and showed him that
they were there for him.
That night was one the I would
always remember. Not because my parents were here, or because we had a great
meal together, but because I got to meet one of the most influential people in
my life and he showed me what it meant to make great relationships with people
to last a life time. I think that if I had been in another restaurant though
the feelings and the atmosphere would have been different. Because I was in a
place that I was comfortable in and loved the food, I think it made that night
something special for me. Now I will always love going to Depalmas and I will
always remember the night I met Charlie Bob.
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