Wally's – Good For What Ails You

  • Tuesday, November 18, 2014
  • Willie Mae

The colder it gets outside, I knew I could talk Crazy Betty into going to breakfast with me. It’s hard to get Lois to get out with me on really cold days and Lou has been doing some traveling.

We decided to meet at Wally’s in East Ridge. This is a fairly old establishment with a location on McCallie Avenue as well.

They let you seat yourself when you walk in, so I picked a cute little two-seater booth and ordered coffee while waiting for Betty.

Betty is a hugger and right away she leaned down to hug me and left a brown spot from her make-up on my white sweater.

She apologized and I told her not to worry about it, but the whole time she was taking off her coat I was wondering if I had any stain remover at home.

I told Betty that I had not been to Wally’s for quite a while and I asked her if they changed much. She said, “It’s about the same only… the cookies are a little salt heavy.” I didn’t think I would need to try any cookies for breakfast.

Betty had gone through quite a few problems with her health lately and I think she felt the need to fill me in.

When the waitress came to take our order, Betty had been talking the whole time so I didn’t get a chance to look over the menu. I decided to just… order from the buffet for $7.95. Y’all know I hate buffets.

Still chattering away, Betty told me about the pacemaker that was recently put in and she said, “I am good for another 10 years!”

The buffet was set up just as any buffet would be and everything looked nice and clean. The food was hot without looking like it had been there for a while, so I didn’t foresee me having a bad experience. People were kind and courteous and the servers kept things moving.

On a cold day, it was good to fill my plate with hot food that takes too long to cook at home. I got scrambled eggs, bacon, and a biscuit with gravy and a little bowl of grits. Betty got sausage, bacon, potatoes, cooked apples, and something that looked like it was either a hash-brown patty or a fried steak patty … (I couldn’t tell and I didn’t want to interrupt her to ask).

While enjoying my hot biscuit and gravy, Betty told me about her over-active thyroid. She said her body was so jittery, she could make cappuccino without the machine! I didn’t say a word, I just minded my own business.

“Come to find out,” Betty said, “I had Graves’ disease …but I wasn’t going to my grave just yet.” It was a good thing that Betty had that pacemaker put in that guaranteed her 10 more years.

The bacon was meaty and not greasy and the grits were good too. Betty enjoyed her meal in between all her talking.

Betty said her doctor had given her the option of having surgery or to just ‘nuke’ her problem with a pill. I was only half-listening until she told me that.

“What is a nuke pill?” I asked.

“I was radioactive!” she said. “My family said I was glowing!”

Betty couldn’t touch anything for days or talk on the phone, but she said she loved the peace and quiet. She told me that she had to starve her body of iodine during that process.

“I couldn’t eat salt or anything! Me and Mrs. Dash got really close because No-Salt salt is nasty,” Betty said.

I guessed she also had to stay away from Wally’s cookies.

Wally’s is a delightful place and their food is delicious – even the buffet. As Betty and I paid our bills up front, she changed the topic from her health issues to her sister who had the ‘me-i-tus’ (she was selfish is what it was).

It was good to see Betty, but as we hugged goodbye …I swonny, if she didn’t get her make-up on the other shoulder of my sweater! At least now I matched.

Hours:

Mon – Sat 6:45 a.m. – 8 p.m.

Closed on Sunday

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