Adam Blake - 13. Chapter 13

I stopped at the first rest stop, filled up with gas. “Why don’t you come with me and see what they have for a snack? We have about a 6-hour drive before we stop for dinner. So plan on the snack lasting until 6.”

“I was surprised at what he had picked. The station was equipped with every type of snack food a kid would want, what did he get? A carton of orange juice and two pieces of fruit, a banana, and an apple. I got a cup of coffee and paid for the gas and food.

“Can I play the radio?”

“Sure, tune in anything you like just don’t turn it all the way up.”

When he turned the radio on, the music from the station was classical. Mom being a cellist, I grew up listening to classical music. “Can I turn to something else?”

“Sure, anything you like. Just don’t play it loud like a lot of kids do.”

He did find a station that played contemporary music. He must have known the songs as he sang along with the artist. He had a pleasant voice and was on key. I couldn't carry a tune for the life of me. I was classified as being tone-deaf. For that reason, I never learn to play any instrument.

We listen as he slowly ate his snack and I drank my coffee.

“Adam, next to my dad I like to be “with you. Would you mind if I called you Uncle Adam?”

“No, I’d be flattered if you did that. As you know, I have no sisters or brothers so I’ll never have a family to call me uncle. Your dad and I were as close as brothers growing up, best friends but in many ways closer than most brothers today. Yes, I’d like you to call me uncle.”

He smiled as he butted me in my shoulder with his fist. So from that moment on, I was Uncle Adam. I was about 30 miles from the cabin, passing through the small town, we stopped at a diner. “They say this diner has been here since the ’50s. I believe that because the decor hasn’t changed and it’s definitely 50’s.”

Parking the car, we walked into the diner. I saw Billy looking around, “I never seen or heard of some of these things.” Sitting down in a booth, “What is that?”

“That’s a jukebox.” I could have said it was a martian spaceship for all it meant to Billy. “In those days, there weren’t any iPods or DVDs. They had vinyl records that contained the music tracks, very similar to some of the albums sold today. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of them aren’t on this list. Here look at the list, there’s the song and below the title is the artist. Find one you think you’ll like and I’ll show you how this works.”

I watched as he turned the small plastic pages. The waitress brought over our menus, Billy was involved in the list I order milk for him and coffee for me. “This song, I think I have heard this artist before.”

“That’s a country song and she was a very well-liked artist. Here put this quarter in the slot and punch this letter and number on the keypad.”

He did and soon we heard the music. I picked up my menu and handed him his. I watched as he listened to the music, “Is that what’s called country music?”

“Yes, can you pick out the difference between that sound and say one of the artists we heard on the radio?”

Before he answered the waitress was here with our drinks and ready to take our order, I could tell Billy wasn’t ready so I ordered a large salad with chicken, Billy looked at me and said I’ll have the same.

“Uncle Adam, this music isn’t bad but what happens if someone plays a song no one likes?”

“Well, in those days people were more tolerant. They would listen and then they could play their music. The nice thing about this is that the selections that were played were based on the sequence as coins were dropped. For example, you played this song and before you could pick another I played a song, my song would play before your next selection. Most of the songs in the jukebox were popular songs. The goal was to make money and the only way that would happen was to stock the most popular songs.”

“But not all of these songs are popular.”

“Maybe not for your generation, but they need to have songs for all generations. A lot of older people visit diners, the food is cheap and you get plenty for your money. Selection may not be the best but it's good old home-style cooking. There’s one type of music you won’t find on them, want to take a guess?”

He shook his head no, “There are no classical music records. There are many classical records but there will be none on this jukebox. There aren’t many people who appreciate classical music, you can’t sing to it unless it’s an opera and not many people can sing opera. In the ’50s people with an interest in classical music had their records and played them at home. Here come our dinners.”

“I see what you meant about a lot of food. We could have split this and still have a lot.”

“Eat what you can and we’ll take the rest with us for snack tonight or lunch tomorrow.”