Graham's Lunch Cart
Next to Christchurch Episcopal Church
Working men of all kinds make up Graham's customers, with a smattering of clerks, shop girls, and a few Miskatonic University Employees willing to walk a little farther off campus to avoid the students.
One of Graham's most loyal customers is Father Anthony Morency, of the Sacred Heart Church on French Hill Street, who comes by every single day he can for lunch. From time to time he uses the excuse of wanting to take his lunch at Graham's to button-hole a parishioner to accompany him to have a private chat, having found a belly full of Mother Graham's cooking helps to unburden even the heaviest heart.
Another regular customer is Arkham Gazette reporter Willard Peck, who has been a customer since he was a boy. He usually takes one or two meals a week here, despte being some distance from either his home or office, and feels that eating here helps to keep him connected to the average Arkhamite. He also loves their grilled cheese and ham sandwiches, but tends to favor the former reason if asked about his dining preference.
'Mother' Philomena Graham, aged 73, is the heart and soul of the business. Despite her age and apparent infirmity, 'Mother' Graham opens the business every day, arriving at 4 in the morning and staying until noon, when she turns things over to Irene Gould, age 41, her second-on-command. Gould is a widow who lost her husband in an accident at the Arkham Worsted Mills more than a decade ago and both her children to the Spanish Flu in 1919. She is deeply devoted to Graham whose friendship saved her in her darkest days.
There is barely enough room inside the car for the three employees within - one handling food preperation, one doing the bulk of the cooking, and one to handle the sales as one-half of the cart is taken up by a long time-worn marble counter and stools for up to eight customers. A fourth employee, the runner, works on the outside of the cart. The job rotates between a small cadre of young boys, aged 10-16, who can run to the grocer if they run unexpectadly low on something, keeps the area around the cart neat and tidy, and on those extrememly rare occasions, can run and find the nearest patrolman should there be some problem.
Graham knows her customers quite well, despite being partially deaf and with a mild cataract in one eye, she usually starts jotting down their orders in her idiosyncratic short-hand before they say a word. Her memory is excellent and, should she witness some odd event, can relate the details with great clarity.
Mother Graham's clam cakes are one of the finest dishes in Arkham, even if only a small segment of the city's populace realize it. Each one is made by hand, and fried in a pot that hasn't been scrubbed since before the Great War.
Most breakfast customers dine inside the wagon if there is room, while those coming for lunch tend to favor the take away window. One of the sure signs of winter's approach is when the wagon's door is closed during business hours, as the heat within is generally notable.
There is always a small number who choose to eat nearby, sitting on a curb or on the steps of Christchurch Episcopal, a habit which is tolerated as long as you don't block the doors and clean up after yourself. The city of Arkham has installed two large trash cans between the church and the cart's usual spot to help reduce litter. (Huth, Chris, et al. "The Arkham Gazette, Issue 1." Edited by Ian Maclean et al., Sentinel Hill Press, Nov. 2013.)
One of Graham's most loyal customers is Father Anthony Morency, of the Sacred Heart Church on French Hill Street, who comes by every single day he can for lunch. From time to time he uses the excuse of wanting to take his lunch at Graham's to button-hole a parishioner to accompany him to have a private chat, having found a belly full of Mother Graham's cooking helps to unburden even the heaviest heart.
Another regular customer is Arkham Gazette reporter Willard Peck, who has been a customer since he was a boy. He usually takes one or two meals a week here, despte being some distance from either his home or office, and feels that eating here helps to keep him connected to the average Arkhamite. He also loves their grilled cheese and ham sandwiches, but tends to favor the former reason if asked about his dining preference.
'Mother' Philomena Graham, aged 73, is the heart and soul of the business. Despite her age and apparent infirmity, 'Mother' Graham opens the business every day, arriving at 4 in the morning and staying until noon, when she turns things over to Irene Gould, age 41, her second-on-command. Gould is a widow who lost her husband in an accident at the Arkham Worsted Mills more than a decade ago and both her children to the Spanish Flu in 1919. She is deeply devoted to Graham whose friendship saved her in her darkest days.
There is barely enough room inside the car for the three employees within - one handling food preperation, one doing the bulk of the cooking, and one to handle the sales as one-half of the cart is taken up by a long time-worn marble counter and stools for up to eight customers. A fourth employee, the runner, works on the outside of the cart. The job rotates between a small cadre of young boys, aged 10-16, who can run to the grocer if they run unexpectadly low on something, keeps the area around the cart neat and tidy, and on those extrememly rare occasions, can run and find the nearest patrolman should there be some problem.
Graham knows her customers quite well, despite being partially deaf and with a mild cataract in one eye, she usually starts jotting down their orders in her idiosyncratic short-hand before they say a word. Her memory is excellent and, should she witness some odd event, can relate the details with great clarity.
Mother Graham's clam cakes are one of the finest dishes in Arkham, even if only a small segment of the city's populace realize it. Each one is made by hand, and fried in a pot that hasn't been scrubbed since before the Great War.
Most breakfast customers dine inside the wagon if there is room, while those coming for lunch tend to favor the take away window. One of the sure signs of winter's approach is when the wagon's door is closed during business hours, as the heat within is generally notable.
There is always a small number who choose to eat nearby, sitting on a curb or on the steps of Christchurch Episcopal, a habit which is tolerated as long as you don't block the doors and clean up after yourself. The city of Arkham has installed two large trash cans between the church and the cart's usual spot to help reduce litter. (Huth, Chris, et al. "The Arkham Gazette, Issue 1." Edited by Ian Maclean et al., Sentinel Hill Press, Nov. 2013.)
Graham's Menu:
| Breakfast | |
| Kellogg's, Grape Nuts, Cornflakes, with milk | 12c |
| Eggs, Ham, Toast | 25c |
| Relishes | |
| Pickle, Stuffed Olives, Hearts of Celery | 10c |
| Sandwiches | |
| Ham (Grilled or Cold), Cheese, Chicken (hot or cold) | 15c |
| Specialties | |
| Clam Cakes, Fried | 15c |
| Indian Pudding | 15c |
| Drinks | |
| Coffee, Tea, Potsum, cocoa | 8c |
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