Back to Columns

TROUBLE WITH DEROSA: Erica Booth

She's a good sport

Email Article Print Article Share on Facebook Share on Reddit Share on StumbleUpon


Erica has been working for the Harmon Brewery and Restaurant on Pacific Avenue in downtown Tacoma since she was a 16-year-old School of the Arts student. As long as I’ve known Erica, she’s forever been a good sport and willing to play along with my sarcasm. You’d expect me to reward her for being such a cool cat, but instead I penalize her with a Trouble with DeRosa interview. Don’t feel sorry for her — I’m sure she knew what she was getting into.

STEPH DEROSA: Back in the days of my Harmon Brewery employment, we used to mentally chalk up how many times a day someone would come into the restaurant and say, “I know Pat Nagle.” I remember thinking, “Who cares? This is Tacoma! Everyone knows everyone already!” Do people still come in on a daily basis claiming they “know Pat Nagle”?

ERICA BOOTH: You’re out to get me fired, aren’t you? I’m not answering that.

DEROSA: They do, don’t they? I knew it.

BOOTH: Ok, they do. And I think at one time the servers had a shirt made up that said, “Pat’s not here.”

DEROSA: HA! That’s awesome! I’d totally buy that shirt.

BOOTH: I think ultimately Pat thought it was a little rude. I mean, Pat does know a lot of people in Tacoma — and it’s not like they come in trying to get free stuff because they are friends. They are really just coming in to say “hi” to him. And being kind to the guests, friends or not, is what’s important to Pat.

DEROSA: Whatever. I’d still buy that shirt. So, you’re single, right? Do you ever check out the men that come in here?

BOOTH: Sure. I always take a peek.

DEROSA: Do you have a way to find out if they’re single? Do you ask the servers to ask questions?

BOOTH: Sometimes they will look for a ring. There are sly ways to find out.

DEROSA: Please tell me you hit on them. Don’t let me down.

BOOTH: Hell no! As a manager, how would I segue into something like that? Plus, I’m not about to use the Harmon as my personal dating service.

DEROSA: What if I put something in my column that read: “ALERT! ALL HOT TACOMA MEN! ERICA IS SINGLE!” That’d be OK, right?

BOOTH: No.

DEROSA: Ok, I won’t then. 

[Harmon Brewery and Restaurant, 1938 Pacific Ave., Tacoma, 253.383.2739]

Read next close

Archives

What is old is new again

comments powered by Disqus