Richland American Legion Post 849

Only in Johnstown, Pa. would this happen…
My Mom had passed away and to make a long story short, it took weeks to get her ashes, because of an ordered autopsy, even though the autopsy and cremation was performed in Johnstown.
The weeks were dreadful for the entire family and once we got the remains and were able to bury my mother it was a bit of a relief.
Having the church service certainly helped as well. Many went back over to the cemetery, prayed and said our goodbyes with flowers and then we went back to my mother’s house.
My good natured and fun loving sister in law piped up, «let’s go to the American Legion» Some jumped at the idea, others like myself said, nah and she said «Mom wanted us to celebrate, not sit here bumming out.»
I didn’t want to be a party pooper so I agreed and it was right down the street. I said okay, I will go for one. ha ha ha ha ha!
My father was a member here for years and we all used to go to the annual picnics and my brothers belonged, so we were pretty well welcomed and everyone shared with their sympathy’s in the loss of Mom and Gram and bought us drinks!
I ordered a Chardonnay and they laughed hysterically and offered me some kind of wine from a gallon jug. I passed and had a vodka and squirt when they couldn’t make me a margarita either.
The room has a large bar and a lounge area that is half the size, the rest of the area has a pool table and a free popcorn machine! Hello, I forgive you for your wine and cocktail selection.
They also had a help yourself hot dog station where you were trusted to take your fifty cents to the bar.
Did I say that I was only going to have one? Silly me, this is fun and forgetting all about my woes was nice. I shot pool with my brothers, did shots of tequila with my nieces and sister in laws, ate a couple of dogs and had lots of free popcorn.
American Legions do allow smoking so be prepared for that and the drinks are priced incredibly low. After this evening I was surprised to drive by the legion at nine or ten in the morning and see the parking lot fairly full with regulars there having their «breakfast» drink!
We laughed, shared stories and cried. It was great to spend time like this together with my brothers and their families. I’m so glad that I went.
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