The Drive In in Dunseith has been a going concern for over 50
years now. I remember when Curt was building it so I suppose that’s
makes me old? One experience I had at the place was early on when Pam
Fassett was there her first day as an employee. We’re family as Pam’s
mom and my grandmother are sisters so I don’t think she’ll mind if I
tell a cute story about her first day on the job. I was surprised when
she came to the window to wait on me on a hot summer day. I asked her
if she would make me a chocolate malt and she did. She mixed it real
well on the mixer and made sure it was thoroughly mixed by going around
and around in the bottom of the paper malt cup. I paid and thanked her
and then jumped back into my car with my malt. When I sat down, the
whole bottom fell out of the cup and dumped my malt in my lap! I had to
get back out and try not to let the malt get on the seat. She saw what
happened and felt terrible but I had vinyl seats so it was just to go
home and put on a different pair of jeans. I just laughed it off but it
didn’t make poor Pam feel much better.
My old buddy Mel Kuhn and I sometimes travel around the area and
once and a while eat at the Drive In on our way through. One day last
summer we were there and Mel noticed that they no longer had three sizes
of cups for beverages. The sign said they only have medium and large
drinks so Mel, in his wisdom, said to the young gal, “Then you only
have small and large drinks.” She said, “No we have medium and large
drinks.” Mel said, “Well then, wouldn’t your medium be your small
drink when you only have two sizes?” She just stood there blank. Some
things just go over some people’s heads I guess. Of course Mel doesn’t
mind messing with other people’s minds either. Her blank look cracked
me up.
The Drive In opened on about this past Friday and I had a Jumbo
there on Saturday. It was just as good as ever. Larry Hackman—eat
your heart out–you won’t find one that good in Bismarck!
Thanks Gary!
Dick
I sent the story below to Bev Morinville Azure then to Dick Johnson and he
asked that I send it on to you:
Bev:
Hey, talking about your dad reminds me of when I was a “chef” at Dales Café,
many, many moons ago. Your dad ordered burnt toast, so I made “dark” toast.
He sent it back and said “burnt”, so I made it a little darker, he sent it
back and said “burnt”. So finally I burnt it, he was happy.
I think of your dad every time I make the toast even a little too dark.
Diane Fugere
When I was between my sophomore and junior years in high
school, Theels in Dunseith had a lot behind Alvin Moe’s gas
station. Joe Spaeth was the salesman. He took in a 1958 Chevy
Bel Air two door hardtop on trade. I wanted that car so bad but
didn’t have the $500 they were asking. He let several people
try it out and one time it came back with the engine knocking!
This was my chance. Joe said he would let it go for a hundred
bucks, AS IS! I sat down in his little office and started the
old routine of [I’ll use the term- Negotiating] for this
message! I told Joe I had $77 to my name. He said OK and
started to write up a sales slip. He put down, Purchase Price
$77, Sales tax $4, Title $2, Etc. I said, “Joe I have $77.” He
cussed and ripped up the slip and started over from the bottom
up. He said if it got any cheaper he could just as well give me
the #(&%^@ thing. John Bogus and I towed it to our garage
behind the lumber yard and started tearing it down. I put in a
rod bearing and a rod cap and a new oil pump. We fired it up
and it ran like a new one. The engine was a big 348, Chevy’s
biggest engine at that time. I drove that car on weekends
mostly, because it was tough on gas. I got race fever from that
car and even though I was only 16, there wasn’t anyone around
who I wouldn’t dare race! This went on for quite a while until
one day Frank Evans came back from working in Minnesota with a
Pontiac GTO. I hadn’t seen a Pontiac yet that could beat my
Chevy so when Frank grinned and said “want to run it?”, I
said “sure, why not.” He left me so fast that I thought my car
stopped!! I felt like one of those old boxers that gets back in
the ring and gets knocked cold by the new kid!! I sold the car
to Randy Kelly for $75 and later he sold it to a guy from
Belcourt. They left Dunseith and rolled it before they got to
Belcourt. End of an era, I guess!
Thanks Gary.
Dick
