Country Cafe, Castile, NY

As I traveled away from Asbury Camp and Retreat Center along Highway 39 and toward the site of the NOMADS Annual Meeting in Hamburg, NY, I passed through a small town named Castile.  It was near noon and I felt I could eat.  Yes, eat once again, not because I was hungry, mind you, but it was the noon hour after all.  Seeing an obvious local eatery and a large parking lot where I could easily maneuver my rig, I pulled in.  The place was small with a few, obviously local, customers enjoying their lunch.  I sat and ordered my traditional iced tea, unsweetened of course.  The server read me the specials of the day and left me to ponder the menu as she fetched my drink.

I elected to have a simple meal, since I was not all that hungry.  I ordered one of the specials: a bowl of chili and a grilled cheese sandwich.  Now, how often do you find something as simple as that on a menu!  The day was cool so I figured chili was appropriate.  I sat in relative silence with barely the din of conversation from a few tables away to keep me company.  I knew only too well the monotony of eating alone, and was rather tired of it.  The server returned more than a few times to check on me and my meal.  How often do you find this kind of service!

 

She asked if the travel trailer parked outside was mine.  I said yes and she proceeded to ask where I lived, where I traveled, and what I did while traveling.  I explained my volunteer work, who I worked for (the Lord and NOMADS), and how much I enjoyed it.  She responded with pleasantries and asked me about dessert.  I declined – yes, I declined dessert, can you believe that?  The server said she would bring my bill and disappeared toward the kitchen.

It seemed like more than a few minutes or so before I saw her near the cash register.  As I stood and prepared to pay, she said with a smile, “Your bill is on the house.”  I probably looked like a fool but I was dumbfounded, finding a loss for words.  She reiterated, “You lunch is free so don’t think of paying.”  Was it that smile?  Yeah, she was a beauty but a little young for me.  Again, my mind could not conjure up any response, let alone an appropriate expression of appreciation.  She continued, “We respect people like you.”  Finally, the words poured forth thanking her and her manager for their generosity.

I felt in total oblivion, as if in a foreign country and did not speak the language.  As I slowly moved toward the door, a grin came to my face.  I walked out onto a wooden porch of sorts and across the gravel lot to my truck, chuckling to myself.  Wow, I thought, did what just happened really happen?  I had never experienced such a nice act of appreciation for anything, much less for what I do – serve the Lord by helping others.  Cool, very cool.

So, if you ever find yourself along Highway 39, passing through the small town of Castile, NY, stop in at Arnie’s and Eddie’s Country Café, 125 S. Main Street, 585-493-3009.  You will certainly find some fine folks there, and good home-style cooking.