Mr. John Tunnell A Man for All Seasons 90th Birthday!
John, the man, the legend....he has worked at the Sanitary Restaurant for 75 years. This Sunday, 3PM, cars, his friends, will line up at 17th and Shepard Str. and at 3PM, they will slowly begin to ride to John's home just down the street at 204 S. 16th St. and each car will slow down, perhaps stop for a moment and wish John a "Happy Birthday!" He will be out on his porch.. (maybe out front!)...He is to be honored for 'who he is'- as a gentlemen, an Carteret icon, one of the most beloved men in Carteret County. Everyone knew, knows John Tunnell for who he is, for who he has been' to so many people over 75 years. I had the privilege of writing his biography, 'The Memory Man'. John was both the general manager and Maitre' D for many, many years, hiring hundreds of people.
On December 12th, 2020. John Tunnel, the Goodwill Ambassador of Carteret County, will be 90 years old. That gentleman has worked at the Sanitary Restaurant for 75 years!. He is like the ‘Ever Ready Bunny’ – He just keeps on ticking, remembering, and talking, and telling stories: “I knew your daddy, your mother, your granddaddy and grand momma... They were all mighty fine people." Many a teenager was hired by John to work at the restaurant, for so many, it their very first paycheck...So many, decades later come back to see him - to thank him..'their 'first job'! He told me once: "I never ever fired an employee. However. there were times at which it was necessary 'to suggest.. strongly',... to a certain person, that they would be better off...working somewhere else' That person always took my advice."
He would tell me, time and again: "I never met a person that I couldn’t say, or feel some kind things about. I found that most people are just plain good. You know, if you just listen, you’ll find and you’ll see a lot of good things in everyone.”..... About the worse John could or would say about anyone, was 'Well, you know - he was different."
He longs to be able to go back.. ('if', when -Dr. Cas Cader says it is OK) to be able to go back down to the Sanitary and position himself once again in 'his office' - "I miss talking to people! I Miss seeing and talking to my friends'...Smedes York, the former Mayor Raleigh, and the owner of two shopping centers on the island, would often stop in (even if he wasn't there for having a meal) - just to sit and talk with John. I was there a couple of times also....We exchanged books, he gave me his signed book "Growing Up in Raleigh'...I gave him 'John Tunnell, The Memory Man."
John Tunnell is in remarkably good health. He has his ailments of coiurse, but are well managed, however -physically, mentally, no question: IF it weren't for this COVID 'thang'...John would be 'back to work tomorrow.... and telling stories, making people laugh, bringing smiles to their faces." .
.......John, the Storyteller: "You see, it was it was like this - in 1958, your grand daddy drove a seafood truck for Captain Ottis, delivering the Captain's NC seafood, from here on the Morehead City waterfront..all the way to the Fulton Fish Market in lower Manhattan, being there at 4AM when the doors opened.. Your grand momma was a Styron...and they had four children, one your uncle, became an NC state legislator..That family was the finest kind."
Funny story: "We're gonna' die!"...John often travelled with me over a period of the two years, mostly Down East, as I did my interviews at the fishing docks, took photos, etc., as I was in process of writing, self-publishing my book, 'The Fish Barons, The Golden Years 1935-1985'...John would get out of the car: soon..many times, suddenly, there was a crowd..'There's John Tunnell.." ....." One day, going down there, almost at Cedar Island, I stopped at the very top, the crown of the Gaskill bridge, fantastic view! I left the car running, left the driver wide door open - to take some quick photos.... John, looking in the rear-view mirror - saw (and heard) a truck coming . It had one of those 'Macho-Man mufflers'. John yelled, “Quick! get in the car, a truck is coming – fast!” I saw it - just enough time.., two more photos…”He's on the bridge! KEN, get in the car now!” I saw the truck, Mr. Muffler-Man, now roaring, speeding up - coming faster,.. at the bottom of the bridge. “OMG! We are both gonna’ die!” (The truck was coming even faster. I quickly jumped back in the car....... John’s eyes were closed, his head down, hands clasped in his lap...... His lips were moving...He was praying! ... The truck zoomed by us, horn blowing, testosterone-charged muffler roaring... in the other lane. John looked up…. “You know, we could have both been killed! Been knocked right over that railing, falling down in that deep channel – They would have never found us! Never seen again! Missing persons”. I promised him I would never do that again. SUNDAY:..Aren't able to join the the 'drive-by'? If you would like, you can call him. He loves to get phone calls! I asked if I could list his phone number..He said it was totally OK: 252-726-5375
____________
Shameless commercial message: Christmas promotion! Great Christmas gift! - Jack Dudley (Carteret County-Outer Banks historian recent book: "OCRACOKE', is now for sale on my website, Emerald Isle Press.com...It is a dramatic and fascinating book...hundreds of photos of Ocracoke Village 'going way back'...
"The Rifle, Ocracoke, 1942"...my first romance novel, 440 pages, will be released later this month.
Thanks for reading....Wishing everyone 'the best Holidays'.Merry Christmas Take care!
Ken Humphrey
No comments:
Post a Comment