If it's good enough for Rachael Ray, it's good enough for me. Actually, before I even knew about Rachael Ray, we would stop on our way south to the Capital District and beyond in Warrensburg, NY at Oscar's. Oscar's has been a purveyor of fine smoked meat and cheese for 65 years. There's not much I don't like about Oscar's. Check out their URL at http://www.oscarssmokedmeats.com/.
And if any of you out there are fans of Rachael Ray, you may already know that Oscar's is one of her favorite sources of meat as well. Ms. Ray has a summer home in Lake Luzerne, not too far away, and she evidently grew up in the Glens Falls, Lake George area. Regardless, I join Rachael in enthusiastically recommending Oscar's, even though I live 150 miles north. Just remember, if you're heading up I-87, to take Exit 23 off the Northway and head straight into town.
Oscar's had a serious fire about a year ago, and everyone was a bit worried that Oscar's might not re-open. Fortunately, for folks throughout the Adirondacks, Oscar's came right back -- at the same location -- and bigger and even better within a few short months. I have never been to Oscar's when it hasn't been crowded. The staff at Oscar's is likewise as friendly, helpful and professional as their food is excellent.
Of course, this is just prelude. Okay, I definitely don't look like Sigourney Weaver, evidently another regular Oscar's customer. But one time a year ago last July on our way to Boston, the burly young man who was assisting my wife and me behind the meat counter suddenly kind of stopped and stared. Then he said:
"Sir, please don't take this wrong in any way, but I can't help but noticing how much you look like Walter Cronkite. I just can't get over the likeness."
I looked at my wife and she began laughing. I thought at the time she was only sorry that he didn't say Robert Redford or Paul Newman. So I in turn indicated back to him that no one had ever before commented on such a similarity, but, if it were true, I would definitely take it as a compliment. We all got a good laugh out of it. Mindy and I continued to joke about it all the way down to Lake George.
On our way home again, several days later, my wife said, "I think we should stop at Oscar's for a smoked ham for our company next week."
No problem. We pulled into Oscar's parking lot and walked into the store. There was my buddy.
Now he says: "Mr. Cronkite, good to see you again sir!" So I tell him a true story about the real Walter Cronkite waving back at my younger daughter as we rode our bicycles past his house on the beach road out on Martha's Vineyard one summer vacation when she was a pre-teen. I don't think Alison even knew who Walter Cronkite was, but there he was sitting there reading a newspaper on his screened in porch. I simply told her to wave to the gentleman and he looked up, smiled broadly, and returned the wave. Nice fellow this Mr. Cronkite. The guy at Oscar's enjoyed the story very much.
Then in August of that summer, we passed through Warrensburg again. Of course, we made our obligatory stop at Oscar's. We walked in and the same young man is once again at the counter...
"Hey Walt, how've you been? Good to see you again. Hope everything's going okay."
So now I have this whole new association with Oscar's. This guy makes my day every time we visit the store.
But here's the spooky part. This past March we were vacationing as usual on Hilton Head Island, SC. Remember the night of the big moon? The night that it passed so close to earth? Well, the beach was pretty crowded with photographers that evening. We were standing around waiting for Mr. Moon to rise up out of the Atlantic Ocean, somewhere in the direction of Africa.
As those things go, it was a congenial time. Folks on Hilton Head are pretty friendly. So I'm standing beside this elderly gentleman, both of us with our cameras in hand, and we eventually engage in conversation. I soon learned that he was a retired staffer for the CBS Evening News. As the conversation continued he began, as lots of retired folks do, noting his friendships and co-workers. I learned that the best ever newscaster was Edward R. Murrow. But then he said, "My favorite anchor and a best friend for over 20 years was Walter Cronkite."
And then he stopped...
"You know? You remind me of Walter..."
Another Rod Serling moment in my lifetime.
There is a fifth dimension, beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between science and superstition.
Stay calm and carry on,
Paul in Potsdam
http://www2.potsdam.edu/loucksap
http://loucksap.smugmug.com
http://madstop68.blogspot.com
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