The Brass Lantern

retrospective

Abandoned as long as I could remember, it was lifeless, boarded up and overgrown. A mountain behind it and a semi circle drive in the front avoiding the stone mountain directly in front of it. A torch was placed at each end of the drive. I could only imagine them brightly lit and beckoning those that would pass by in previous days and years. It now was a place for cops to hide and catch speeders from their unseen perch.

It was a short mile from the four corners, a busy place with three gas station, one on each corner and an A&P to anchor the fourth. A MacDonalds was soon coming , just next to the Arco station. There were some adjoining sites that added to the business of the corners.  Lukes Donuts was a big draw and everyone loved hand made chocolates from Hasselbachs. Back towards the Avon side was the old Flying A service center and towing while Battisons cleaned your clothes across the street. If one proceeded in the other direction from the corners you pass the darkness and soon on your left was an eyesore called Mazas’ Plaza. This was a run down tenement housing six or eight apartments. Mazas was where several of my teenage friends placed their head . My pal George was one of them. Any further on and you found the entrance to Secret Lake , the golf course and of course a funeral parlor was needed.

There was never much to do that did not require imagination at this time in life. It seemed that each time I went past this place , this Brass Lantern Restaurant, My mind would fly. I was dating Pat Lewis . She was from the other side of the of driveway than me, so I seemed to do plenty of passing by. All my friends were also on the other end of the drive so it was not uncommon for me to pass by four or five times a day.

There came a day I was passing and I saw life, not just cops. I pulled into the BSA dealer and came back through Mazas’ in great anticipation. I pulled across the street into the broken parking lot of The Lantern. To my amazement the windows were open as were the doors. My heart lept. I had forever wished to see this place. There was a huge dumpster and many men tossing things into it.

I kept my eye on this every day and made it a point to pull through the parking lot and made it my business to know what was going on. It was not much time before I saw a sign and OH MY GOD, the torches lit and glowing fiercely. Soon to open. Those torches burned twenty four hours a day. How glorious this was. It was like birth! A Phoenix, right before me!

It was soon enough the Brass Lantern came to life and what a wonderful resurrection it was. I picked up Pat and we went to the very first happy hour. Upon entering the bar it had an amazing feeling of warmth and beckoned you , come inside, come inside. The windows were covered with wooden moveable blinds, the carpet was thick and plush, you almost wished you were barefoot. The ceiling was coffered and all the woodwork was stained a warm , welcoming color. Candles everywhere glimmering and comforting. Every Friday at five they had employed a one man band or so to speak. One of the first was a man from Winstead Ct.  He had had some relative notoriety and fit this place just like a glove. The only feeling I can compare this to is that  of a really great Christmas Eve. It was like being consumed by something so comfortable.

I can’t say I have ever had that very same warmth and comfort in my life ever again.