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The Weems Weekly
The Weems Weekly

      The Weems Weekly is the name of the fictional weekly Whistlestop Bulletin in  "FGT@WSC". Dot Weems, the local busybody, recorded the goings-on about town from 1929 to 1969.

      I thought it was necessary to designate part of my web page to the Weems Weekly, because it is such an excellent part of the book, and gives it much of it's personal downhome flavor. It couldn't make it into the movie, as is the case with many things in the book, which is another reason why I strongly recommend that fans of the movie read the book also. Or even if you didn't like or didn't see "Fried Green Tomatoes", you should definitely read the book anyway.
The First Weems Weekly
      This is the first Weems Weekly in the book:

June 12, 1929

CAFE OPENS

The Whistle Stop Cafe opened up last week, right next door to me at the post office, and owners Idgie Threadgoode and Ruth Jamison said business has been good ever since. Idgie says that for people who know her not to worry about getting poisoned, she is not cooking. All the cooking is being done by two colored women, Sipsey and Onzell, and the barbecue is being cooked by Big George, who is Onzell's husband.

If there is anybody who has not been there yet, Idgie says that the breakfast hours are from 5:30-7:30, and you can get eggs, grits, biscuits, bacon, sausage, ham and red-eye gravy, and coffee for 25 cents.

For lunch and supper you can have: fried chicken; pork chops and gravy; catfish; chicken and dumplings; or a barbecue plate; and your choice of three vegetables, biscuits or cornbread, and your drink and dessert- for 35 cents.

She said the vegetables are: creamed corn; fried green tomatoes; fried okra; collard or turnip greens and black-eyes peas; candied yams; butter beans or lima beans.

And pie for dessert.

My other half, Wilbur, and I ate there the other night, and it was so good he says he might not ever eat at home again. Ha. Ha. I wish this were true. I spend all my time cooking for the big lug and still can't keep him filled up.

By the way, Idgie says that one of her hens laid an egg with a ten-dollar bill in it.
...Dot Weems...
The Last Weems Weekly
This is the last Weems Weekly in the book:

June 25, 1969

HARD TO SAY GOODBYE

I am sorry to report that this will be the last issue. Ever since I took my other half to south Alabama for a vacation, he has been having a fit to live there. We found ourselves a place right on the bay, so we are going to move down in a couple of weeks. Now the old coot can fish night and day if he wants to. I know I spoil him, but with all his orneriness, he's still a pretty good old guy. Don't know what to say about leaving, so I won't say much. Both of us were raised right here in Whistle Stop, and had so many wonderful times and friends. But most of them have gone somewhere else. The place doesn't seem the same, and now, with all these new super highways they got, you can hardly tell where Birmingham ends and Whistle Stop begins.

Now that I look back, it seems to me that after the cafe closed, the heart of the town just stopped beating. Funny how a little knockabout like that brought so many people together.

At least we all have our memories, and I've still got my old sweetheart with me.
...Dot Weems...
P.S. If any of you ever get to Fairhope, Alabama, look us up. I'll be the one sitting on the back porch, cleaning all the fish.








 

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