Walk inside Becky’s Diner, located at 310 Broad St. in Waverly, N.Y., and you immediately feel at home. The cozy neighborhood diner that serves up piping hot coffee and delicious food has a loyal following, including those who are members of the Romeo group, or Retired Old Men Eating Out.
A significant milestone this year, the Romeos have been meeting in Waverly for 20 years. The late Leon Thomas, a former Tioga County Legislator, founded the group in 2003.
A Memorial Plaque prominently displayed on a wall inside the diner lists Romeo members who have passed away, along with other memorabilia and newspaper articles.
During their monthly gathering on April 20, the Romeos celebrated the April birthdays of Jim Raftis, Sr. and Pat Ayres. Raftis, now 91, remains active in Tioga County, and is often the Master of Ceremonies at several veterans’ events. Ayres recently retired from his role as Village of Waverly Mayor.
A group of a dozen Romeos gather for their monthly breakfast at Becky’s Diner in Waverly, N.Y., and to celebrate the birthdays of two of its members. 2023 marks the 20th year that the group has been together. Some members have since passed away. (JoAnn R. Walter Photo)
Raftis, who is an Owego resident, often notes that one qualification for his acceptance into the Romeos group is that he was born at the former Tioga General Hospital, so his footprints have undeniably been in Waverly for quite some time.
A dozen of the current Romeos attended the monthly gathering, and many stated that one of the main reasons they keep showing up is for the camaraderie. That friendship is reflected, too, with their matching attire of blue sweatshirts accompanied by white hats with their names embroidered on the back.
Romeo Meade Murtland, a ten-year member, shared, “It’s a great group of people, and we all enjoy discussing the problems of the world.”
Gathered at the tables are not just retired men, but those who have made positive contributions to the community, many who served their country, and many who have had decades of management experience and a wealth of knowledge.
While eating breakfast, birthday cards were passed around for Raftis and Ayres, and all in orderly Romeo fashion. There is a system, it seems, so as not to mix up the birthday recipient’s cards.
Jim Raftis Sr., seated on the left, and Pat Ayres, near the window of Becky’s Diner in Waverly, enjoy the company of their fellow Romeos on April 20 while chuckling over birthday cards and enjoying cupcakes. (JoAnn R. Walter Photo)
Ayres announced, “Again, no duplicate cards this time,” and some agreed that the birthday card selection just seems better in Waverly. Nothing too sappy for this crew either; a majority of the cards had a comical twist.
After breakfast, all enjoyed homemade cupcakes. Although, one birthday recipient may have eaten his cupcake before he ate his breakfast. Apparently, there is no Romeo rule regarding that.
But are the Romeos really retired? Their chatter about daily activities leaves anyone wondering what the definition of retirement really is.
Interestingly, the Romeo members come together with a distinct set of backgrounds, like former Waverly Mayor Dan Leary, also a founding member, and then Miles McNett, who recently retired from the NYS Dept. of Correctional Services, and remarked that he is, “really retired.”
Another founding member of the Romeo group, Tom McLean, is a retired Teamster and union advocate, and today, 20 years in, he is still a dedicated crossing guard at Lincoln Street Elementary.
Gary Zenker, from Horseheads, had previously worked with Ayres for about 15 years in the Child Protective Services profession. Today he helps Ayres out at Broad Street Records in Waverly.
A newer member, Ted Decker, grew up in Waverly and was a supermarket manager. Decker decided to retire just before COVID hit. And then Ken Sindoni, a U.S. Navy Veteran and a Romeo for ten years, remarked that he enjoys the Romeos “tight knit group,” and is a regular at Becky’s on most days.
Romeo Jim Smith, who had retired but then started working again, will be closing the doors of his school bus this year, and after 15 years behind the wheel driving students back and forth to school and sporting events.
Romeo Bob Hugg is a retired Teamster Union negotiator, yet enjoys remaining involved in NYS mediation via PERB. Hugg is also a coach for the Troy, Pa. spring track and field team, which includes discus, javelin and shot put.
One Romeo, Joe Schmieg, can actually say he has met and worked around well-known celebrities. Schmieg explained that he worked in New York City for 30 years with ASCAP, and on the side was cast as an extra in movies. He recalled being around Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver while playing an extra in “Ghost Busters,” and then appeared in a few commercials in the late 1970’s. He can still sing the jingles today.
Schmieg said that he enjoys receiving the occasional “residual check” in the mail from those past parts, otherwise referred to as pocket change for retirement.
The Romeo group does meet up at other times, too, such as for their summer picnic at the Waverly Glen. More recently the group stopped for a tour at Waverly High School and enjoyed time at the Wolverine Den Coffee Shop.
As Raftis concluded, “Some amazing stories are shared over coffee, and you can learn a lot from your fellow Romeos.”
I wish to say hello to Tom McLane who lived down the street from me in the 1950s. I lived on Center Street about three houses from George Failey and family.
John McCormick
Severna Park, Maryland