To the editor:

As the late, great Paul Harvey would say: “Over my shoulder a backward glance.” After reading that the former Tweets Restaurant was to be sold, a flood of memories came rushing back.

My first day of work for Tweets was Sept. 15, 1969. Us Baby Boomers were just coming of age to vote and drink and it was a simpler time. No cell phones, no Facebook. I loved it and miss it. Back then, a day at Tweets started with Shike (Bill Souza), who lived across the street, who would open up, make coffee, sauce, etc., and have meatballs at the ready for Theresa Vaccarro. She lived right next door and always had to turn down Angelo Annania’s marriage proposals while he did the morning cleaning.

Shike would call in the morning orders on the payphone in the kitchen that was next to the cash register with the drawer left open with change left for phone calls. First call was to Angelo Russo’s meat market — Shike always called him Ruby — then next to Porky at Clark’s Cove for seafood and then to Benny Delton for produce. Usually in next was Miss Dee (Alma Daghe). She and Shike got along like two strange bulldogs. Then came the bartender, Tommy Correne, who lived in a small brick building owned by Tweet in his red fastback Mustang parked outside with PCC on the license plates. Tweet would arrive whenever — sooner by car, later by golf cart — he liked to surprise everyone.

Later the night crew — Johnny Balzano of course, and before he opened his place, Jack Gomes and his son Jack. Phil Baril, Chuckie DeMezza and, to name a few of the waitresses, Nella Mary Raposa, Frances Brown, Ginger Hule, and more. Tweets was a family restaurant that hired many families. George and Paul Oliveira, Barry and Wayne Costa, Paul and Pete Bento, George and Gary Dion, Janet, Sandy and Rick Canna. And then came Millie Balzano, the glue that held everything together. She read the pad, kept the peace and loved all of us.

The Providence Journal just put out a spread in the food section listing the most missed restaurants in Rhode Island. No one has loved reading the three paragraphs devoted to Tweets more than Millie Balzano.

1969 was a great year to live in Bristol. Dom and Joe Franco sold gas for 34 cents a gallon, Mary and Theresa ran the Hope Diner downtown on Hope Street next to Caron Jeweler, Frenchie cut your hair and their neighbors were Duffy’s, Sunset Bakery, Algers and Reddy Freddy. After work you could get a draft beer for 20 cents at Busters Tap, the Cup Defender with Andy Martino behind the bar or Denny’s Tap with no side door.

Vicky Van Vose had the earliest breakfast, Sam had the best pizza, Korean War veteran George Leffingwell fixed your car and Bristol’s own Bud Teves backed up Salty on WPRO.

All was in the last century and it has been over 50 years since Tweet hired me. I am still cooking and have never had a tougher boss or a better one!

George Carroll
Kenny Drive
Warren