What'll Ya Have

The Varsity in Atlanta, Georgia

     My parents met in Atlanta, Georgia in 1964.  My dad, who was originally from New York, found his way there after serving in the Air Force and my mom moved there after she graduated from East Tennessee State University.  According to my father, he asked my mother to marry him after she held him over the ledge at the top of Stone Mountain and said she wouldn't pull him up unless he agreed to marry her. Then they went to eat at The Varsity.  That's not exactly how it happened but his engagement story is pretty funny so that's the one that gets repeated again and again.

      I remember eating at The Varsity with my parents, probably on one of our many trips to Six Flags. What I remember most is being terrified by the people behind the counter because they yelled at you when you went up to place your order. A few years ago, thanks to family who moved to Charleston and dear friends who moved to Atlanta, Joel and the kids and I became frequent visitors of The Varsity.  We were there so often that Owen even has a favorite booth.We now sit in this same booth every time we're there and I tell them the story about their grandparents engagement. It's our tradition. It's also our tradition that Joel goes to the counter to get our food because the people who work there still yell "What'll ya have! What'll ya have!"  when you walk up to place your order and I just don't function well under that kind of pressure.