A Day in the Life: 2008 (Part Two)

I entered the Alley Cat and found a bustling place with perhaps 40 diners even though the lunch hour was in its back end. I ordered the $8.48 lunch buffet which features a bottomless soda, soup, salad and all the "famous pizza" you can eat. I then opened up the briefcase got out my dice, boards, cards and score sheet and played a game of APBA. 1960 Pittsburgh Pirates 13, All-Time Harrisburg Giants 1. Deacon Law got the win behind an 18 hit attack (3 each by Groat & Clemente) featuring homers by Nelson & Hoak. A fuller description of this game will soon appear on my baseball blog at: http://blog.pennlive.com/gloryoftheirtimes/.

I have to concede to the Zangari name that Alice's fare is not Zangari's nor is it as good as it used to be ... after all it has been almost ten years since she was coached by a true keeper of the recipe. However, after 15 slices I must testify that it is pretty good and a reasonable facsimile.

I should mention that the Alley Cat not only has imitation Zangari Pizza but by necessity it imitates Joe Cassidy's Tavern; it can't help but do so since it exists in the same space some 20 years or so after Mr. Cassidy left the business. There are ghosts there. I could imagine the bar where it used to be, there was ol' Phil in his cups at the bar, Dicky behind the bar, Huntz Hall bouncing checks, quoits flying down the lane (wait, is that me body bowling?), there is Glenny Schneider and Desi Deeter at the bar ... no, wait, that is no ghost. I approached the bar and asked a familiar looking face ... do you work for Verizon? The gentleman said: "No" and then paused "but I used to, I retired three years ago". I immediately stuck out my hand saying "Tee Knorr. How are you doing Glen?". Next thing you know from across the bar comes a "Tee Knorr!" It was Desi Deeter. I spent about 15-20 minutes reminiscing with a pair of greats adding to what had already been a great time. I told Desi he was just recently referred to in a trivia question regarding Craps being the most popular dice game at the 340. Desi, not contradicting that fact, added "and APBA Horseracing cuz we could bet on it!" :) I hated to turn down Desi's offer of a beer but had to leave to meet with the Knight's of Columbus regarding the reunion. See A Day in the Life: 2008 (Part Three).