Kelly's Bar & Grill

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Pat after a couple sips of Gin Rummy

Welcome! Here at Kelly's, we talk everything Pat McManus. Each month you'll see new stories from us — Pat's daughters — about what it was like "Growing Up McManus". We also have never-published essays from both Pat ("Pat's Yarns") and Bun ("Vintage Bun"). We'll be answering your questions, reminiscing about our best memories and sharing lots of our favorite recipes.

Below is a short essay I wrote when I was first thinking about creating a legacy website for Dad.

— Peggy F. McManus

... And So It Begins

The chunky gray cat sat on my desk batting at the computer screen as I typed.

“Quit swatting the screen, Sugar Bear, you’ll scratch it,” I said to the cat, gently moving his paw away from the monitor. “I’m trying to write a story and you’re distracting me.”

Sugar Bear yawned and closed his eyes. Soon my fingers rhythmic tapping on the keyboard lulled him to sleep.

I understood Sugar Bear's reaction to my typing. I'd fallen asleep to my dad plucking away on his old manual typewriter nearly every night of my childhood. The memory was clear, even now, a half century later; a flurry of typing, then a pause as Dad leaned back in his chair to read what he’d written and take a few puffs off his pipe. A delighted chuckle meant he liked what he’d read. Then, after a sip of whiskey, the typing would begin again.

The memory of my father writing in his makeshift office each night is a favorite of mine. None of us knew that the endless hours Dad spent writing at the small desk crammed into our laundry room would one day pay off and he would become a bestselling author and much loved American humorist.

But that’s exactly what happened.

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Pat McManus Quote of the Month

There is no greater fan of fly-fishing than the worm.

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Recipe of the Month

Dad played Gin Rummy with my sisters and me most nights to determine who had to do the dishes. He almost never lost, but if he did, he'd demand to keep playing until one of us won two-out-of-three hands. Of course we'd agree just to keep playing

with him. We never did catch onto Dad's evil plan and, needless to say,

he never had to do the dishes.

Gin Rummy

Pour yourself a big glass of gin and drink ‘til you’re rummy. Cheers!

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From the McManus Archives

Authentic Old Men, By Pat McManus October 2013