Route 66-based story
written by OC,SH’s founder, inspired by his September 2009 Route 66 road trip

For those new to the story, you can read Chapters 1-44 via this link.

CHAPTER 45: 1st BROADCAST BEGINS

“I’m so sorry I sent them to talk to you,” were the 1st words out of the mouth of the man who just walked through The Old Route 66 Family Restaurant’s front door, shaking the eldest brother’s hand.

The eldest nodded, ushering the man & the woman with him into the building. “I know, it’s OK.”

“No, no it’s not,” the man insisted.

“Look, we can talk about that later,” the eldest said, lowering his voice. “The broadcast is about to start.”

“Oh, right,” the man said.

“We’ve been looking forward to the broadcast since we first heard about it,” the woman offered.

“I know he’ll appreciate you mentioning that to him,” the eldest replied. “& … I … am sorry we didn’t tell you exactly when we’d be here sooner than we did.”

“Ah, that’s OK,” the woman said. “What matters is you are here now, & we’ll have some time to talk. Well, not NOW, but soon.”

The eldest nodded & guided the couple to a table near the youngest brother’s makeshift broadcast area. While they sat down, the old gentleman eyed them.

“I sure hope they don’t talk through the broadcast,” the old gentleman half-whispered to his companion, who had just finished her plate of pancakes.

“Now, Gus, this is a restaurant,” his companion responded with a short glare. “People are bound to talk amongst themselves. You’ll be able to hear the broadcast just fine.”

Then, the youngest brother opened his broadcast with these words: “We are coming to you live on WSM from The Old Route 66 Family Restaurant in Dwight Illinois! I am absolutely thrilled to be with y’all this morning in my 1st broadcast ‘from the road’. As most of you now by now, I am riding along with my brother, in a 1976 Caprice sedan I bought, on a Route 66 road trip, a journey our parents never got to take, even though they started a business right along this famous route. We both wanted to do this, & I wanted to share the ride with y’all. So, since we’re going to be in Dwight Illinois for a few days visiting relatives … who I see HAVE arrived here now … I’ll be broadcasting several times today from The Old Route 66 Family Restaurant. I’ll be posting some videos & pictures as my brother & I take Route 66 out to California over the course of who knows how many weeks. I want to give a huge shout out & thank you to Kyle back in WSM’s Nashville Tennessee studios who helped in getting this series of broadcasts set. More on the trip, some interviews & other bits of business later, but now, time to play you a tune. Take a listen to Jerry Lee Lewis’ version of the Route 66 song….”