There used to be a school a half-block behind Galveston's famous seawall. It was Lovenberg Junior High. It was torn down after a storm seriously damaged it about forty years ago.
But it was the junior high school I went to in the early 1950s. And I forgot to tell you it was directly across the street to the 
west of Galveston's most famous seafood restaurant, Gaido's.
The Gaido family has owned and operated that institution since 1911, and has served millions of fish to tourists and islanders.
The Gaido patriarch was Mike Gaido. He understood the restaurant business and the importance of good food and service better than anyone.
One of my school chums was a fellow named Robert. I remember he played the French horn in our school's terrible band. He made good grades in the academics. Robert hated the school cafeteria so much that he not only brought his lunch from home, but he would eat it outside on the school's steps rather than at a table inside with his friend.
Robert said the cafeteria looked like a prison and smelled like dirty dishwater and Clorox.
One day, Robert decided to take his sack lunch across the street to Gaido's. He walked in the door, and before the host could say much more than "Welcome to Gaido's," Robert had crossed the dining room and was sitting at a banquette with his lunch spread out on the table.
The dining room was all but totally full. Conversations stopped. Everyone looked at Robert. Everyone wondered how Mr. Gaido would handle the situtation.
Mr. Gaido, obviously in disbelief, came over and said hello and asked if he could get Robert anything. "Sure," Robert said. "I'll have a Coke and a glass of water." Mr. Gaido personally brought it to the table. When Robert got ready to leave, he asked for the check. The waiter said, "Mr. Gaido picked up your check."
Everyday at noon, Robert went across, spread his lunch out on the banquette's table, and Mr. Gaido brought him a Coke and glass of water. When Robert asked for the check, the waiter would always say, "Mr. Gaido picked up your check."
Well, one day one of the teachers was looking out of her classroom window and she saw Robert walking back from Gaido's. She met him as he came in the door, and as soon as she found out where he'd been and what he'd been doing, she reported it to Pop Smart, the principal, and he put a stop to it.
It wasn't Mr. Gaido who told Robert he couldn't bring his sack lunch to Gaido's. That's marketing.
BILL CHERRY, REALTORS
DALLAS - PARK CITIES
Our 45th Year
214 503-8563
Bill,
I love this story. Have you kept up with Robert? He was certainly a very determined young man, would love to know what became of him!
Excellent story Bill, thanks for sharing it! I smiled.
Bill,
Great story, thanks for sharing.
Seeing the work Gaido's reminded me of when our family would drive over to Galveston from Port Arthur. We always ate at Gaido's.
No one followed suit and took their lunch over there with Robert?
Interesting story.
Is Gaido's still there?
I worked for a guy out of Houston Named Dennis Johnson and all he could do is talk about this restuarant. I have never been ther . Enjoyed the post
Hi Bill.... I just love Gaidos. It's a personal favorite in Galveston and this story adds even more "flavor" to a phenomenal restaurant!
Thanks to you all...and Steve, it remains my favorite seafood restaurant, and I've eaten seafood in fine restaurants all over the U.S.
Judi, Gaido's is as much a part of Galveston as the Gulf of Mexico is. Take either of them away, and it would be appropriate to tear down the causeway, stop the ferry, and shut the town down forever.
hi Bill,
How are you doing these days?
Eating at Gaido's some day is on my To Do list.....you've painted such an inticing picture of it in a few blog posts now.
Jo
Jo, I was thinking about you the other day. How are things going in Ontario? I hope your market is better than ours in the Loweer 48.
Bill