Edgar Biamonte
Welcome to Summersville is a humorous, satirical novel.Sal D’ Angelo hopes to give his son, Randy, $1,500 to start college in 1972, butis broke. Though Sal lacks restaurant experience, Pearl persuades him and hisfamily to run her luncheonette at her Catskill bungalow colony, claiming they’llprofit $5,000.The soda counter and vital kitchen equipment is old and unworkable, hesoon discovers. There’s no air conditioning or acoustical ceiling tiles to absorbthe deafening noise. Playing pinball, campers push, fight and shout. They cursewhen they tilt the machine or when balls land in traps and they try to rewirethe machines to get free games. Sal’s wife touches a girl while leading her outfor screaming hysterically at a misbehaving ball, and her father threatens to sue.Lounging, teens are reluctant to remove their feet from tables containing saltand sugar they pile and squirt with ketchup. Two male dogs knock over chairswhile tearing after a female poodle in heat. Waiting on line for their orders, parentspush one another, demand better service, and curse the family for running outof spaghetti.Girls scream when the campers flap a dead snake on the counter. So do theirmoms playing mahjong outside after receiving the same gift. A bully ties up theD’ Angelos’ youngest son inside a dilapidated bungalow.Before Sal leaves, Pearl falsely accuses him of taking home most of his stockinstead of leaving it for her. Consequently, she persuades Bernie, renter of themachines, to give her Sal’s share after adjusting them to provide extra free games.More curious about the obvious record take than angry, exhausted, Sal driveshome instead of calling the police. 3
