Friday, February 20, 2015

But First, an Ode to Bahooka and RIP Rufus.


The Bahooka restaurant in Rosemead, California shut down March of 2013.
It was a fixture in many people's lives, for birthdays or other celebrations.
Originally built in 1967 in West Covina, it was moved to Rosemead in 1976.

My friend Amy and I were sure to visit it before it closed for good.  I took a few pictures, and while they aren't the greatest, they are the only way that I have to document what I saw that night. We waited over 2 hours to sit down and eat.  The glory of what Bahooka once had was gone.  I was so glad to see it a final time.

As for Rufus, the pacu fish that you see me looking at in the photos...It is too painful for me to write about or talk about. He was over 40 years old and was known to eat carrots, and he even appeared in the movie Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas with Johnny Depp.

The new owner of the property was supposed to preserve Rufus' tank and build around him.  And then, he was gone.  The new owner refused to say where Rufus had gone, but the worst is suspected.  It was thought that he was too old to survive a move.

Anyhow, here is an article about Rufus. The drawing of him looking out at the wreckage of Bahooka makes me choke up.

The mystery continues, WHERE IS RUFUS??











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