Chapter 41

The backway is longer ... the backway is a drive through the worst part of a dying port town. But ... cross the Pere Marquette river and head over to South Lakeshore Drive and the views change. The road from the bridge rises sharply from river bottom to sandstone to granite to bedrock and the drive becomes scenic. You are hundreds of feet above the big lake and the views are spectacular.

There are 140 lake freighters and an unknown number of ‘salties,’ ocean going ships, carrying the commerce of the nation and the world on the Great Lakes. The odds are good that one or more ships are in sight day or night.

There are many recreational craft on the waters, many are sail powered and a few are impressive in size. A telephoto lens might bring crew into focus. Sail boats and all over tans go together.

South Lakeshore drive proceeds onward as it wends its curvy way south. A stop at the Wishing Well, Bass Lake, will probably relieve the stopper of excess pocket change. After wishing, Old 31 will take the driver south through green pines to Pentwater and the Antler. Who knows ... wishes might come true in Pentwater.

The Antler ... this is the 4th iteration of Frank and Ernie. But ... the Wendy ... the burger is enshrined in its own little box on the entree side of the menu. It’s now a meal ... the sandwich, two patties ... not mashed, homemade caraway seed bun, fresh everyday and toasted on the grill, mayonnaise, lettuce, dill pickle, two cheeses, three strips of bacon and tomato bolted together with a toothpick, has a menu buddy ... Wendy Lite ... one patty. They come with a pint of frothy homemade root beer and a brown paper sack of long cut slightly over done French fries with watered down and salted white apple cider vinegar. The meat is still supplied by the farm that has been providing never frozen hamburger to the Antler for a century.

Should a tourist or a local want to order the Wendy without any or all of the standard ingredients, Frank or Ernie will explain about the Wendy and her sailboat ... they will point out the MISSING poster on the wall and tell the tourist to order from the sandwich side ... the Wendy only comes ONE way. If they want it pressed to remove the grease ... they are politely sent to McDonalds.

The Wendy reminds the world of everything wrong with fast food.

The Wendy has the taste missing since the 1950’s. It is a GREAT sandwich and a reminder to old folks of days gone by. It is booths with Jukebox remotes, chocolate cokes, poodle skirts, hayrides, bonfires and snake dances, sock hops and Radio DJ’s. Life wasn’t better ... but it was slower.

“Elizabeth Anne Boleyn!” exclaimed Ernie, “How have you been? FRANK! Come see who’s here!”