VERNOR'S GINGER ALE AND MY UNCLE SEYMOUR

I just saw an old ad for Vernor's Ginger Ale in a book I have. Vernors was invented by James Vernor in Detroit Michigan in 1866. Originally it was a fountain drink and only sold in Detroit.

Vernors became a very popular soft drink and eventually was sold in bottles. The Vernors family owned the company until 1966. The first sale of the company in 1966 was followed by several sales to other soft drinks company's and began being sold in many states.

My father was born in New York. He moved to Detroit to marry my mother. in the 1940's. His youngest brother named Seymour was about eight years younger. During the 1950's, he would like to visit us for a weekend occasionally.

Seymour thought he was funny and liked to make fun of different things in Detroit. He also liked to aim some of his sarcastic jokes towards my mother. When she would complain to my father about his brother's humor he would say he's my younger brother he visits once or twice a year for a couple of days just try to ignore him.

What Seymour did like in Detroit was Vernor's Ginger Ale! This was the 1950's and Vernors was not sold in New York. I was somewhere between six and twelve during this period. I only knew he was my uncle from New York and made me laugh a lot.

I remember one visit from Seymour somewhere in the 1950's. This was pretty much a typical visit. My father comes home and announces his brother Seymour would be coming into town on Friday night and going home on Sunday afternoon. My father works on Saturday's. This was the 1950's my mother did not have a car. { I am not even sure she had a driver's license at the time.} My mother responds by saying what am I going to do with him all day Saturday? My father says I will buy him a whole case of Vernor's Ginger Ale. He can watch T.V. all day and drink Vernors. I will be home at six o'clock and we will go out to dinner.

The boy spends the day watching television with his uncle. Laughing at his jokes and anytime he requested getting him a bottle of Vernors. My mother announces we are going to have dinner at a very popular Deli.

We go out to the Deli. It is time to order. Here comes a Seymour joke. {the kid will think this is really funny.} Seymour orders stuffed cabbage. My mother cannot resist making a comment and leaving herself open for one of Seymour's sarcastic response's. She say's Seymour "why did you order stuffed cabbage? Do you like stuffed cabbage?" Seymour responds ", No Blanche I hate stuffed cabbage that's why I ordered it for dinner." We eat and go home.

When we got home my mother goes into the bedroom to watch television. She tells my father you can spend the evening in the living room with your brother, and he can drink all the Vernors he would like.

My parents and uncle passed away many years ago. Looking back, my father could have told his brother to lighten up on the sarcastic jokes.

Vernors Ginger Ale is still, a popular soft drink.

WRITTEN BY

RON TURETT