Morning Brew: Tales from Frank’s Place

It was there on May 4, arriving at five a.m. An early hour for many, but it was worth it. He’s accustomed to rising early, having done so for years. In fact, he usually arrives 45 minutes before his shift starts.

On May 4, his shift was longer than usual. It began at five a.m. and didn’t end until midnight. His duty that day was at the airport. That day, Station attendant Frank Gaspar was a group leader on the annual Dreams Come True event.

It was fitting that Frank should be involved. After all, it is only through the efforts of people like him and his colleague, Barry Sinden that the Dream Come True event is possible at all.

Thanks to the contributions of Barry and Frank, $650 was raised at Frank’s workplace and donated to Dream Come True. Frank helped make it happen and ensured it occurred without incident.

Every day for the past 18 months, Frank and Barry have arrived each morning, cleaned up the area, set up coffee, and laid out a table with bread, butter, and jam. Then they relax and enjoy the morning banter with friends.

The first hour is always the most enjoyable, said Frank. “The guys are great, and there’s lots of joking around. It’s like a party.”

Three times each day, Frank’s place is packed as the guys gather for a quick breakfast. Throughout the day, three loaves of bread and 150 cups of coffee are consumed. That’s about 15 pots or five gallons of water each day.

Frank estimates the profit at about a dollar a day. Prices are 25 cents for a bottomless cup of coffee, 10 cents for a slice of toast, and 10 cents each for peanut butter or cheese. The money raised has also funded a couple of new coffee pots, a small microwave, and a new toaster.

Don’t expect anyone to serve you, though. It’s strictly self-service. There are no cashiers; payment is on the honor system, and it has worked out so far.

“Now and then, we get an old coin that’s not Canadian,” admits Frank. One of the patrons even uses a pound, and those are usually British.

Those who don’t work on the ramp or who aren’t on day shifts shouldn’t hesitate to drop by. On your next coffee break, if you’re carrying some spare change, be sure to head to Frank’s Place for your morning snack. Al Graham did last fall. Oh, and by the way, three times each day, it’s standing room only at Zone Three Kiosk.