Not too many around here, likely, will remember the old Home Dairy, which was on the corner diagonally opposite what was Fowler's, now known as Boscov's.

The Home Dairy was a big automat, with a couple walls of little doors that had sandwiches, pies, all kinds of things to eat, and you would get your tray and slide it along, taking things out that you you wanted to eat.... The place was always packed, whether it was lunch time or not, and they always had the very best pies!

My aunt knew some of the ladies who worked there and a good friend of hers was Betty, who never failed to win blue ribbons at the county fair for her pies - I liked her pumpkin and apple pies, never was much for berry pies, but I think she took home the blue for all of her pies.

The Home Dairy used Betty's talents and fame in their advertising, which was just a sign outside the doors, saying they had Betty in the back, baking her famous and award-winning pies just for the customers at the Home Dairy.

I remember that I thought Betty was sweet on me, as whenever my aunt and I would come in, Betty would see us, and would set up TWO pieces of her pumpkin pie or apple, in one compartment, and would put a red piece of paper on the inside of the glass, and my aunt knew to open that door and get the pies out for me!

The cashier was in on it, too, and would always say, "One piece of pie, 20¢," as she rang it up. I felt special.

I miss that old Home Dairy automat.