Good Bye Norma Jean

I smack husband's arm each time he has the urge to count the number of remaining days to this year's aweful short summer. Spring didn't arrive until June with the air cracking just above 60 every day that month. It's been a tough year all around for Sheboygan County. Still suffering the slow down in our local economy, everyone from top down has been patiently wading through difficult times day by day waiting for any small turn in luck. Which makes it so much harder when summer sells us short and luck is still on winter break somewhere in the south Carribean.

This month, Jumes on 8th Street closed it's doors to its devoted patrons after nearly 82 years of restauranteuring. An all American original 50's diner that defined 50's dining from decor, to food, to their dry-witted waitresses. This is the place that any self-respecting local or wanna-be local Sheboygan resident would be found enjoying weekend brunch with their children, spouse or by themselves on a workday morning. The food was straightforward unpretentious. The coffee was a good American brew. Not too strong but with good mild flavor. Perfect with cream and sugar. There was nothing about Jume's food that stood out as award winning. What stood out was comfort in its reliable simplicity and consistency. What stood out was the spot in the corner that you could call yours should you make it a routine to come in every morning. A humble slice of home-made pie every Friday evening after a tough work week. A walk across the street for a refill on your coffee around noontime. And the friendly waitresses with their dry wit and good humoured jabs...not like they ever watched an episode of Mel's Diner.

It had become my routine every other morning since openning my office across the street to stop by for my usual bacon-egg-cheese sandwich on a Sheboygan hard roll and a medium cup of coffee. The cook, easily mistakable for Tommy Lee Jones, would crack open a fresh egg over the greasy fry top, warm up a fresh baked roll, heat up several thick slices of crunchy tasty bacon and top it all off with a melting thick slice of real Wisconsin sharp cheddar. The waitress would serve me a cup of coffee to go but each time forgetting to hand me a spoon...the old retired man whom I'd gotten to know very well would hand me his spoon in turn and begin discussing the local coupon and sales section from that morning's paper. You wouldn't know how much you had fallen in love with Jumes and accepted her into your life until she was gone and you're left wandering the corners of 8th street searching for an adequate substitute. For $5, you could have the best egg-bacon-cheese sandwich and medium cup of hot coffee to last you through late lunch. For $10, you could have something similar at The Field of Fork, but with a much different take on American dining and a much different personality. After nearly a century of offering up good traditional American dining, we wish you the best of luck in the next chapter of your life.