The Pit
The Pit was a restaurant FZ's father purchased in 1962 or 63 on Foothill Boulevard, Upland, California.
It was your basic run-of-the-mill American-style food place, serving such delicacies as hamburgers, fries, Cokes, and generous portions of different kinds of meats and pastas.
Dad loved to cook, and Mom worked the counter, although I don't think she took as much interest in it as Dad. In the morning, she would get me and Carl off to school and then head back to serve the locals burgers, fries and other deep-fried treats.
Frank took a lot of interest in the restaurant. He took charge of the rear of the place and installed bamboo curtains on the windows. The fire department quickly ordered them removed. Undaunted, Frank set up a stage and brought in some musicians to play on the weekends for the local college students and anyone else who was invited or just happened to come by.
As it turned out, this would be the only time in my life that I was on stage with Frank. One night I sang a couple of songs, one with Ray Collins, who became one of the originals Mothers Of Invention. We performed I'm Leaving It All Up To You and then I sang 'Long Tall Texan.' The crowd went wild. Frank seemed proud of me and glad I was on stage with him.
