New Kansas residents......

[Rhonda]

Might just have to try a fudge monkey next time I get to Toots.  Sounds Good!

[Janet Harrington]

Mark Howard,

If you come to Howard on the 4th, the things to enjoy are stopping at Toot's to eat, but they are closing at 4:00 p.m. that day.  The Elk County Rodeo takes place at Moline starting at 8:00 p.m.  There will be fireworks after the rodeo.  Piedmont has a rodeo also with fireworks.  Other than those things, the 4th will probably be pretty quiet in Howard.  We hope you have a good time.

[Mom70x7]

If you know for sure about what time you're going to be in town, and where, some of us might make sure we're there to say hello. 

[Mike]

What is a Fudge Monkey?  I worked at Toots all through high school (73-76) and their menu has expanded greatly since those days.  We also didn't have any seating.  Just fix the food and pass it out the window.  Oh, my what memories!  That was the greatest job--you got to see everyone because Toots was a stop for everybody.  I sure miss the minute buns--don't see them on the menu anymore.

My parents bought Toot's Drive-In sometime around 1978.  A year or two later my father (with the family helping him) added the room that is on the north side of Toot's.  The room included seating and a bathroom.

Later, we visited a friend that had a resterant in Whitewater, Kansas.  He had five or six video games in his resterant.  Shortly, thereafter we put one in Toot's Drive-In, on a rental or lease basis.  It was the Donkey Kong game.  I think we might have switched it out for other games later; but, I only remember playing the Donkey Kong game.

I worked there after school, weekends and the summer for maybe a year helping my mom.  After that I would help out some after school; but, on weekends and during the summer I would work for my father in construction because I could make more money.

Being a teenage other kids thought how great I had it being able to eat Toot's Drive-In food everyday.  And I admit I really liked it for the first year or two.  After that, eating fast food everyday really got old.  I started missing home cooked meals and sitting down around the diner table with the family.

My mom sold Toot's in 1984 or 1985.

I too liked the minute buns and especially the Burritos.  We would cook the Burritos like they do french fries and then put chili on it.  To this day I haven't eaten a burrito that tasted as good as Toot's.

My mom still has one of the cookers she used to make the minute buns in.  When I visit my mother she will still make me a minute bun, if I ask.

[Mike]

Well, welcome to Kansas Markhoward.  Please do travel to Howard and be sure that you stop at Toot's drive-in and eat a Fudge Monkey.  The Wichita Boy scouts go through here to go to summer camp and take back to Wichita how much they like eating at Toot's.  The hamburgers are excellent as is everything you eat there. 

Again, welcome to Kansas.

That's funny you should mention that about the Wichita Boy Scouts.  Back in 1998 when I was working at Boeing a coworker was telling me about one of their boy scout trips.  He asked me if I was ever in Howard, Kansas that I should stop in at Toot's and eat.  I told him I had eaten their before.  He said really, when did you eat there.  I said, from about 1978 - 1985 every day.  I told him I grew up in Elk County and my parents used to own Toot's.  He thought that was neat and then wanted to hear all about me growing up there.

[Janet Harrington]

Are you Mike Moore?  I think I can picture you.  I grew up in Severy, then did a few things and reside in Howard.  I used to be the Sheriff here.  Didn't your folks have a house east of the Cresco Cemetery?  I cannot remember their names, but your mom worked at Toot's all the time and your sister is married to Craig Wilnerd.  Am I close?

[Mike]

Yep, you got it right.

My mom's name is Odean Joice Moore and my dad's name is Mancil Monroe Moore.

I moved to Wichita in the fall of 1985 to go to school at WSU.  When my father passed away in December of 1985 my mom moved to Wichita.

Craig and Tracy live here in Wichita.  Tracy and Craig moved to Paris, Texas for 2 or 3 years.  But, last year they moved back to Wichita and only live a couple of blocks from me.  Tracy and I live on the West side of town and my mom lives on the south side of town.  It's funny,  I remember driving to Howard every day, living 7 miles north of the town and thinking it would be nicer to live closer to Howard....Now, to see my mother I have to drive 14 miles (and we both live in the city limits) and it take 20 - 30 minutes to get there.

[Mike]

Are you Mike Moore?  I think I can picture you.  I grew up in Severy, then did a few things and reside in Howard.  I used to be the Sheriff here.  Didn't your folks have a house east of the Cresco Cemetery?  I cannot remember their names, but your mom worked at Toot's all the time and your sister is married to Craig Wilnerd.  Am I close?

My mom sold Toot's before my father passed away.  I think my mom sold Toot's because she was really getting burnt out on running it.  She was there all the time.  She was there an hour or two before it opened and an hour or two after it closed.  She would go home during the day at times to get some rest.  And sometimes I would close Toot's for her if I didn't have a sports event or something else going on.

I drove by my old house east of Cresco Cemetery a couple of months ago and noticed that the doors and windows are boarded up.  Do you know who owns the place now?

It's been good chatting with you.  We can catch up more later.  I think the family and I will go watch some fireworks now.

[emptynest]

Mike,

I know your brother-in-law, Craig, and your sister Tracillia quite well.  How are they doing?  And how about Jessica and Sharayah?  I know Sharayah is in Texas still and that Jess graduated back in May from high school.  I haven't heard too much about them since then.  Welcome to the forum---it's a small world.

[Mike]

They are all doing just fine.  And who are you?