Holidays might be the perfect time to set aside sore spots among loved ones, but Thursday was not the day at the Blue Top in Highland.
The gang that hangs out at the restaurant never misses an opportunity to poke fun at Sonny White’s bad decision in the 1980s. A Cadillac aficionado, White, of Highland, bought an Allante, the car giant’s only fully foreign-made vehicle, and the guys never let him live it down.
“It was Cadillac’s only Italian car, and even they regret doing it,” said Mike Kelley, who with White and a whole group of others volunteered to serve folks during Blue Top’s inaugural Thanksgiving dinner under new management. “He can’t get more than $3,000, $4,000 for it now. Heck, no one wants to buy it from him at all!”
Owner John Golfis is no newbie to serving Thanksgiving for large groups of folks. In the restaurant business for seven years, it’s become tradition for him to open his doors for customers and the community alike.
Golfis procured 16, 20-pound turkeys for the occasion, of which a friend took six of them to his own home to cook. Good thing there was an abundance of food, because the little restaurant had a steady crowd.
“It’s been about 50-50: 50 percent regulars and 50 percent people from the community,” Golfis said. “And there are some who wouldn’t have a decent meal, too.”
“It’s the Hot Rod Spirit to give back,” said Leon Simon, a high school teacher from St. John who was wrapping up his volunteer shift. “We always help out when John does stuff like this.”
Even Golfis’ nephew, A.J. Golfis, a student at St. Michael School in Schererville, got in on the action. He was in back washing dishes, partially for school community service credit, but mostly because he enjoys chipping in.
“It’s fun working with these guys,” A.J. said.
“Yeah, he knows he’d get beat if he didn’t show,” Mike Kelley joked.
Bob Beamer, of Munster, met up for lunch with the Strzelinskis, Ron and Ryan, of Highland. Had they not been enjoying themselves at Blue Top, they’d have been at home doing something car-related.
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“I’d be changing the oil in my Jeep,” Beamer said.
Ron Strzelinski said he’d likely be waxing one of his Volkswagens because the weather cleared up. Son Ryan would’ve enjoyed his dad’s company no matter what.
“Having (Blue Top) around keeps the art of car modification alive. It’s good to see it still around,” Ryan Strzelinski said.
Another one of the guys, Joe “Jaguar Joe” Pollack, of Munster, took his spot at the counter. The other guys might be into hot rods, but as the Jaguar man of the gang, Pollock believes he brings the “class” the group.
“I’m a car enthusiast, so I come here quite a bit,” Pollock said. “If I weren’t here, I’d be home thawing out a frozen dinner and watching football.”
Michelle L. Quinn is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.