No. 1 Waffle House fan
By WILLIAM SNOWDEN
Editor
For weeks, Bill Dickman has been talking excitedly about the opening of the Waffle House in Crawfordville.
Dickman, an architect and owner of ABC Storage, is an avid reader of The Wakulla Sun who stops by the office regularly to talk current events, golf, and small dogs.
And Waffle House.
As you may know, Waffle House opened its Crawfordville location on Friday, Aug. 23.
For weeks, the restaurant had been under construction and Dickman would stop by and ask if we knew when it would open.
The night before the opening, he sent me a text:
“Tomorrow 7:00 a.m. be there.
“Double quarter double plate scattered and smothered murders well done extra pickles extra onions hold the garden out like one. I can call it I can pull it I can cook it I can plate it I can serve it I can eat it I can clean the plates wipe the table down run the cash register start all over.
“That’s called hardcore certified and registered,” he added.
“Putting my tent up now in the parking lot.”
He told me that years ago he had worked for a few months cooking at a Waffle House in Georgia in which proceeds from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. went to a local child who needed heart surgery.
“I’d like to see the line out the door both griddle full and a pile of food on the floor to get the real affect of Waffle House cuisine,” he texted the night before opening.
I thought that was the end of the matter, but I was wrong.
At 6:23 a.m. on Friday morning, he texted:
“It’s 6:21:39 minutes and counting.
“All the traffic lights are green the stars are lining up going to be a perfect opening.
“We’re driving up we can see the lights the excitement is building.”
Then he sent a photo of him outside Waffle House with his dog and some restaurant staff.
I asked if he was the first customer in line.
“I am the line.
“There can be only one number one fan!”
Later: “Officials say the weather is going to be absolutely perfect for today’s launch.”
“This is a much anticipated day in history.”
A few minutes later: “Got to go cars are starting to fill up the parking lot…”
Then: “9 minutes and counting.”
Sends a photo of the restaurant with the WAFFLE HOUSE letters illuminated.
“That glorious Waffle House sign.”
At 7:02, I texted to ask him if he was in.
“First in to a loud ovation,” he texted.
“Double order scattered smothered chunked crispy, order of sausage, toast buttered not burnt!”
William Snowden is editor and publisher of The Wakulla Sun.
