Tony the Turtle Ride Operator
Every once in a while, I’ve mentioned a guy named Tony. He had the red Firebird Trans-Am. I also mentioned that I worked at Idora Park for six years, although it was closer to six and a half, but I tend not to mention the half. I worked at the concession stands for half a year before I quit. I really did not like the job.
I met Tony one summer when I finished working at the Putt-Putt course. At that time, I was just getting ready to turn 16, and someone in my family had to take me to work at Idora.
Tony started taking me back and forth to work since he was going there anyway, and he only lived about six blocks away from me. It was kind of a long drive going from the Eastside of Youngstown to Idora on the Southside.
He would come pick me up in his gold deuce-and-a-quarter. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Eastside talk, that was a Buick 225. That thing was huge and so was the amount of gas it used, so we went halfers on it.
At the time it was kind of fun working down there. He ran the turtle and I work the Putt-Putt course, so when things were slow we could walk back and forth and talk to each other.
Sometimes we would be on break together, and we go up to the french fry stand and get some french fries. One of the reasons we went to get french fries was because on the way we would stop at the carousel, where his cousin Carlos worked. Carlos was also very funny, like Tony.
Carlos used to always tell us, “You guys just don’t know what it’s like. You’re so lucky. I work on this carousel…I have to listen to this music 12 hours a day, 6 days a week, over and over and over again.”
Another plus was being able to hang out with our girlfriends. No one ever walk down to the Putt-Putt course or the Turtle ride, so none of the bosses ever complained.
Tony was really nice guy who had a great family. His father and mother were very nice, and if you ever needed an example of how well a couple can get along together, they were definitely it. He had a couple of sisters that were nice, somewhat quiet, and also had a little sister Daisy. Daisy took a shine to me and she was just so adorable you just couldn’t help but like her.
Tony had a pool table, and every once in a while, I would go over his house and play pool and Daisy would watch us. Tony always seem like a happy guy and always had a big smile on his face. With a family like he had, I could see why.
And after I met his girlfriend Jane I could see why even more. She was smart and beautiful—she and Tony were very close. Eventually they did get married, and they’re still married today. I was lucky to have a friend like Tony, and I was lucky that his family liked me so much. Tony was always a lot of fun to be with.
Our families were great friends, too. If there was anything my family could do for his, they would. One time when his water pump blew in his car and my father replaced it for him. Since Tony was driving me to work—and I’m sure money was getting tighter for his family—I paid for half of the water pump.
One day, Tony called me and said that he couldn’t take me to work. He was very upset; his voice was very shaky. He said for no reason at all, the elderly man next door walked out of his house saw his dad and shot him to death. It took me a few seconds to grasp this.
His father was so nice and kind. It just it didn’t make sense. The neighbor was very old, and I think he was just confused. Now, I’m not going to go off on a tangent about gun control, but there’s a good reason why we need sensible laws.
The next day, before I went to work at Idora, I went over his house and paid my condolences. Although, what can you say to someone who just lost their husband and their best friend and people who just lost their father?
Though they were glad to see me, it just didn’t seem like enough.
Tony took some time off and then came back to work. We went back to driving together to work. Tony was a few years older than me, so this would be his last summer at Idora Park. After that summer, he got a job in the mill.
I guess this really taught me that you don’t know how long your life is. So live it. Love the ones you’re with like if there’s no tomorrow. And Tony, if you're reading this, send me a message. I'd love to hear from you.
See you on the midway!