HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1995-05-31, Page 5OP-ED PAGE 7
The Menu at Death Row Diner.
Did you ever wonder what
you would have to cal if you
knew it was your last, very last
steal?
I never have.
Recently the New York
Times Magazine, Iikc hundreds
of other publications staring at
a deadline clock and an empty
plate of editorial ideas, asked
food fanatic Julia Child what
she would order for her last
meal.
Julia said she'd start with a
little caviar oysters and joie
grus, which is actually the side
of a goose's last ureal that he'd
really rather have missed.
Then she would move on to
the pan -roasted duck with
small onions, chanterelle mush-
rooms and tiny potatoes with a
sauce made out of the carcass.
Julia would wash that down
with a S7(0 bottle of
Romance -Conti, 1962, and
follow it up with creme burlcc
and a 1975 or '76 bottle of
Chateau d'Yquem. After two
carafes of French wine this
quite likely will be Julia's last
meal, at (cast for a couple of
days.
I don't know why, but 1 have
this kind of morbid curiosity
about what people order for
their last meals, specifically
those people who light up after
dinner, like a badly wired
Christmas tree.
Death Row in the United
States has become an interes-
ting phenomenon.
1t used to be that people of
conscience feared staking a
mistake and strapping an in-
nocent person into the hot scat.
Lately the opposite problem
has arisen; they can't get the
guilty guys near it.
The good news is, dinner at
the death row diner is free and
there is no tipping. and the
very best feature is nobody
bounds up to your table with a
big smile and gushes: "Hi, my
name's Tracey? And I'II be
your waitress for the evening?"
The had news is,
management count the silver-
ware and there arc no seconds.
After it's over nobody believes
you own a pct when you ask
for a doggie bag and nlcasc.
don't even consider asking for
it "to go."
Some requests by convicted
murderers about to be
dispatched arc well worth
noting.
Human nature is highly
unoriginal. Some people stan-
ding in Ben & Jerry's tasting
room would still ask for vanilla
icc cream. James D. Autry,
executed in Texas, ordered off
that same "Keep It Simple,
Stupid" menu. In the land of
chicken -fried steaks and award-
winning chili, James Autry
asked for a hamburger, french
fries and Dr. Pepper (To his
disappointment, Dr. Pepper
turned out to be a soft drink
and not a licensed physician
who could neutralize a lethal
injection).
Also in Texas, Stephen Peter
Morin ordered that "Jack
Nicholson special" from Five
Easy Pieces: a chicken salad
sandwich - hold the salad, hold
the mayo, hold the chicken
between you knees and bring
me the bread. From an un-
limited mcnu, the guy ordered
unleavened bread for his final
meal.
Ted Bundy, electrocuted in
the Sunshine State, enjoyed a
last meal of steak, eggs, hash
browns and coffee. No mention
of decal and whether it. kept
hits up all night.
Equally famous murderer
Gary Gilmore had much the
same last meal in Utah, where
he was shot by a firing squad,
with the notable addition of
whiskey...so, in Utah, home to
half a million Mormons, where
most of the restaurants are dry,
the death row diner is licensed!
William Mitchell must have
been a bad kid. Hearing all his
life "you'll go right to bed
without dessert," William went
straight to the chair with only
desert - half gallon of black
cherry ice cream. I guess when
you're facing "old- Sparky" m
Georgia, the threat of a
spanking is not a real deterrent.
And prior to their double
hanging, Jerry Smith and
Richard Hickock feasted on
shrimp, french fries. Rarlic
bread, ice cream, strawberries
and whipped cream. Their very
last meal and they actually
agreed upon the same six
items. For this very reason,
men are encouraged to never
ever be ranging with their spouses.
Aubrey Adams Jr. went to
the chair in Florida in a big,
big way. No snacker, Aubrey's
last supper consisted of one
pound of popcorn shrimp, one
pound of medium-size shrimp,
one pound jumbo shrimp, one
loaf of garlic bread, french
fries, pecan pie, pecan ice
cream and iced tea. Prison
authdrities weren't sure if it
was a last meal or an attempted
suicide by lethal cholesterol.
And Margie Velma Barfield,
executed in North Carolina,
didn't want anybody to go to
any trouble so she ordered a
bag of Cheez Doodles and a
Coca-Cola. The Classic. As the
minutes tick away on the
cellblock clock, nobody's coun-
ting calories.
As I mentioned, I don't
wonder about my last meal,
mainly because I'In not going
to die.
But I'll tell you one thing.
I've grown quite fond of Julia
Child over the course of our
relationship in this column and
if she should show even the
slightest sign.of failing health -
well, I'll be right there with her
to the end.
Your privileges could be next
cont. from page four
Mr. Steckle has invited com-
ment on this bill for sometime.
Of course, those who are only
marginally interested in this
debate have failed to make
their views known - the silent
majority, no doubt. Only those
who stood to lose a cherished
pastime contacted Mr. Steckle.
Do you know of any other
minority groups who wouldn't
voice objections when being
forced to swallow B.S.?
I only wish you would really
educate yourself with what has
gone before and what is now
being enacted. The bulk of the
people who are asked to com-
ment are naturally in favour,
because they do not know the
gun laws that already exist, nor
the things that it will be poss-
ible to do to people under this
law. All we want is to be
peaceful, law-abiding citizens
of this country.
Of course, if you want to
In the Years Agone �
Lacrosse player returns
FROM THE PAGES OF
11HE HURON EXPOSITOR,
,LUNE 14, 1895
Master Willic'Robb, a young
;on of Mr. and Mrs. William
Robb, had his hand caught in a
lawn mower the other day and
had one finger badly cut.
* * *
Mr. John A. Jackson, son of
Mr. G. E. Jackson, of
Egmondvillc, who has been
touring in the Eastern States
with the Varsity lacrosse club,
Inas returned home.
* * *
Cornelius Hoare of Clinton
has a large loon which he
.aptured on his brother's pond
near,. Manchester.
* * *
Notwithstanding the very
warm weather of the past few
lays, Thomas Case has slaugh-
tered a large number of hogs at
his packing house in
Harpuncey.
JUNE 11, 1920
Evelyn, daughter of Mr. and
Mrs. John Grainger, Bruccficld,
underwent a mastoid operation
it the Clinton Public Hospital,
which was very successful,
* * *
Miss Kathleen Sullivan of
Dublin was honoured by her
,choolmatcs and presented with
.in address before leaving for
1.ondon to train for a nurse.
* * *
The Seaforth Citizens' band
has been engaged for a garden
party on Robert Doig's lawn,
fuckcrsmith and also at Robert
Scarlctt's lawn in McKillop.
A heavy load of logs passed
•,]ver the Seaforth market
scales, consisting of .lour elm
and two oak. The loan weighed
i ton and 60 pounds. They
,vert drawn by J. H. Storey's
(cam from the skidway in the
hush from the Frank Kettle
latrlll and delivered 10 Win.
\mcnt's mill.
JUNE 8, 1945
Huron Progressive Conserva-
tive candidates, in common
with the majority of ConS'crva
rive candidates throughout the
Province, were returned with
sweeping majorities at the
voting on Monday.
Dr. Hobbs Taylor, sitting
member for Huron, .was re-
elected with a majority of
1,971, over James Ballantyne,
Liberal candidate. The C.C.F.
candidate, J. E. Iluckins, was
A
practically out of the running
with the two old party candi-
dates.
A prisoner farm camp is
being built on, the farm of Mr.
Fred Ellerington, at Exeter, for
German prisoners, who are
being brought to the district to
assist farmcrs during the sugar
beet season.
JUNE 11, 1970
Seaforth Beavers, who this
ycar won the WOAA Inter-
mediate Championship for the
fourth time, were honoured
Saturday night by the Scaforth
Recreation Committee and the
council.
A dance in which the public
took part was preceded by a
dinner for the team and offi-
cials. Arrangements for the
affair were carried out by a
committee including Charlie
Campbell, limy Cardno, Gary
Grey and Bill Pinder.
Joan Westcort, daughter of
Mr. and Mrs. Roy Westcort,
graduated with a B.A. in Psy-
chology at the University of
Western Ontario on May 27.
Miss Westcou teaches in
Kitchener for the Waterloo
county Board of Education.
* * *
Bryan Paul Brady graduated
recently from University of
Waterloo with a B.A.Sc. in
Mechanical Engineering. He is
the son of Dr. and Mrs. P. L.
Brady, Scaforth. He is current-
ly working in Burlington with
the Canada Centre for Inland
Waters.
* * *
Scaforth'District High School
held the annual Honour Ban-
quet last Wednesday night. F.
A. Dobson presented awards to
five -time winners: Sheila Dieu,
Christine Turnbull and Carolyn
Fraser.
* * *
St. Columhan remained the
only team with a perfect record
as they blanked the Godcrich
Rangers 2-0 in a London and
District Soccer League game
played at Scaforth on Saturday.
Si. Columban's linc-up is:
Goal, Paul O'Reilly; Full-
backs, Tom Mclady, Brian
Wady; Halves, Ron McClure,
Paul Malone, Murray McClure:
forwards, Dave Mclnally,
George Love, Tom Low, Gonl
Moylan, Gerald Ryan; Alt.,
Kcn Coyne, Bob Young, Kcn
Flanagan.
believe your government
leaders on this issue, then you
must, believe the horrendous
federal debt they have given us
is fine also.
Several governments of the
western provinces have inti-
mated their intentions not to
comply with this legislation.
Do you suppose they don't
represent the majority of their
constituents?
I hope that Mr. Chrrtien and
Mr. Rock are only misguided
in their zeal for gun registra-
tions and are not hiding some
darker reason for this legisla-
tion. Could be some of your
privileges are next on the chop-
ping block, Mr. Cumming. You
are not gaining safety with this
legislation, you are only losing
some of your freedom.
Yours truly,
James Butcher
THE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 31, 1895-5
fedeiic 4.444
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