KevinS
Senior Insider
It's been a few weeks since I posted a memory of SBH. This is a memory from many years ago. I may have posted it way back then, but I'm not finding it through the Search function. This is the story of Numba Tree.
At least once on each trip to SBH I go to Le Select for a “Cheeseburger et Pomme Frites”, or a Cheeseburger and French Fries in English. Le Select is a corner bar with an outside patio, and a grill at the end of the patio where you can get burgers and fries. Nothing fancy, and smoking is allowed.
Things are pretty much the same today as they were then. There was no table service – you went to the bar window to order drinks, and you went to the grill to order food. The window opens into the bar and the bartender. The grill is staffed by a line cook and a cashier. The cashier takes your order, and at that time gave you a wooden square with a number on it. When your food was ready the cashier called out your number over a public address system. When you heard your number you would return to the grill, return your number, pay for your food, and go back to your table to eat. It’s a simple system, and it worked well.
There has never been any real difference in the numbers – they’re just numbers, and they’re given out in no particular order. But, for me, there was something special about being Number 3 at Le Select. The cashier at that time was fluently bilingual in French and English, but spoke English with a strong West Indian accent which I found to be very pleasing.
When my order was ready, and she called out “Numba Tree, Numba Tree, Numero Trois, Numero Trois” I smiled… my heart melted a little bit at the sound of her voice and accent… and I went get my food…
And that’s the story of “Numba Tree”.
At least once on each trip to SBH I go to Le Select for a “Cheeseburger et Pomme Frites”, or a Cheeseburger and French Fries in English. Le Select is a corner bar with an outside patio, and a grill at the end of the patio where you can get burgers and fries. Nothing fancy, and smoking is allowed.
Things are pretty much the same today as they were then. There was no table service – you went to the bar window to order drinks, and you went to the grill to order food. The window opens into the bar and the bartender. The grill is staffed by a line cook and a cashier. The cashier takes your order, and at that time gave you a wooden square with a number on it. When your food was ready the cashier called out your number over a public address system. When you heard your number you would return to the grill, return your number, pay for your food, and go back to your table to eat. It’s a simple system, and it worked well.
There has never been any real difference in the numbers – they’re just numbers, and they’re given out in no particular order. But, for me, there was something special about being Number 3 at Le Select. The cashier at that time was fluently bilingual in French and English, but spoke English with a strong West Indian accent which I found to be very pleasing.
When my order was ready, and she called out “Numba Tree, Numba Tree, Numero Trois, Numero Trois” I smiled… my heart melted a little bit at the sound of her voice and accent… and I went get my food…
And that’s the story of “Numba Tree”.
