Wherefore art thou? At breakfast.
A member sports his ROMEO Club shirt to breakfast.
Dec. 22, 2023 | Story and photos by Kate Becker
This article is part of Atrium’s Winter 2023 issue. To view the print edition online, visit our Issuu here
It’s 6:50 a.m. in a nondescript Dunnellon shopping center. Street lights and neon store signs cast a dim glow over the dark lot and Publix won’t open for another ten minutes.
The parking lot is almost empty, except for the scattering of cars belonging to the members of the Workout Anytime gym and those of a group of 14 old men sitting along the benches outside of the Breakfast Station restaurant.
Like Publix, the breakfast spot is closed until 7:00 a.m. But that doesn’t stop the religiously punctual old men from beginning the morning conversations they would soon have over coffee inside.
“Good morning, ” one man says. “How are ya’?”
“Good, good,” the other replies.
“You look like you’ve been beat up,” another chimes in.
“I’ve been married for 53 years, what do you expect?” the man jokes.
It’s only 6:58 a.m. when a waitress pokes her head out with a familiar “alrighty guys,” letting them know their usual table is set up and ready for them to come inside.
The smell of fresh coffee brewing fills the small restaurant. An oddly long table runs through the center of the room. The men sit down and over the next hour the table fills seat by seat, coffee cups emptying almost as quickly as they are poured.
After an hour of chatting, the men finally decide what they’d like to eat. A waitress tackles taking the breakfast orders, almost all of whom ask her to speak up or repeat herself at one point.
Thomas Green cups his mug of coffee while talking with the other ROMEO’s. Even though he served in the Marine Corps for over 20 years, Green lost part of his right pointer finger after he served during his later job in construction.
Over the next hour the men will receive their food and continue discussing various topics or “solving all the problems in the world.”
These men are those of the ROMEOs, otherwise known as Retired Old Men Eating Out.
Almost six years ago, in the small Rainbow Springs community of Dunellon, the ROMEOs emerged. This group is exactly what it sounds like: a pack of 12 to 15 men who meet weekly for breakfast. Since the closure of Citrus Grove, the original ROMEO breakfast spot, the men have been meeting every Tuesday at 7 a.m. at the Breakfast Station for about four weeks.
Discussion topics range from how their last doctor’s visit went to the newest gossip of the Property Owners Association, the conversations layering over each other across the table like red strings on a detective board; all connected but no clear train of thought.
“I just got a brain scan last week,” said 72-year-old retiree Tom Wood.
“I didn’t know you actually had a brain,” 59-year-old Bill Dexter teased. At 59, he’s considered a “young member.”
Dexter moved to Florida in April 2023 and worked as a general contractor. Now he serves as a member of the Architectural Review Committee of Rainbow Springs. Joining the ROMEOs is a good way for him to talk to fellow members of other boards or those who live in the community about current events.
Empty sugar packets and creamer cups litter the table, and by 8:30 a.m., breakfast is served. After a chorus of “pass the Crystal hot sauce” rings out, the group quiets down as they eat their food, doused in red.
Beside aids in their ears or walkers leaned against their chairs, a few wear T-shirts displaying the state they resided in before retiring here in Florida. Others sport various shirts representing the branch of the military they served in.
74-year-old Thomas Green is one of several in the group who served in the Marine Corps. Through his 23 years of service, he worked as a testing officer, brig chaser and reserve billet among other positions.
“I didn’t do anything special, just two tours in Vietnam,” Green said. He spoke as if it were just another desk job. “Not nearly as exciting as [Micheal], didn’t have to blow stuff up.”
70-year-old Micheal Lutz worked in the Air Force Ordnance Disposal division for 11 years as a master technician, taking bombs apart before they explode. He recalls his career-ending story about taking a piece of scrap metal to his left temple.
“Now I stutter and hang out with guys like this,” Lutz jokes.
After working across Florida Air Force bases throughout his career, Lutz decided to retire in Dunnellon. After retiring, Lutz “got bored” and opened a Crave Hot Dogs & BBQ chain. 98% of Crave chains are owned by fellow veterans.
During the soft launch of his restaurant in June, Lutz’s fellow ROMEOs all attended in support.
It was at this gathering that the spouses of the ROMEOs officially met one another and decided they should get together as well. Now, every Thursday morning the ROMETs meet at the Breakfast Station.
While the conversations may be vast and difficult to follow for an outsider, one major theme is consistent: If a person has a question, someone else at the table has an answer.
“We are experts at everything. There is nothing that we don’t know at this table,” 77-year-old Richard Peterson said. “You build a relationship with all these people. It’s good to socialize. If you don’t get out and socialize as you get older, you get stale and the dementia sets in.”
Many members recall getting references to help with something that “needs fixin’.”
“You got a problem with your roof, you come in here and you go ‘Hey, who here was a roofer?’ And someone at the table has used a roofer in the near future who can recommend them to you,” 61-year-old retired firefighter of 32 years Paul Ross said.
Others get support with their various hobbies.
“I am a model railroader … some [members] have helped me load [the materials] into my car and helped me set up and break down,” Dave Kasheiner said.
Kasheiner wanted to retire to Florida from Illinois since Disney World opened in 1971. He is the unofficial records keeper of the group; he has a log with everyones name, phone number and email to send out important announcements.
“I think these guys are part of my family,” Kashiner said. “ I worry about them when I leave here. I am glad to see them all still sitting here when I walk in on Tuesday.”
Kashiener’s role varies widely, from joyful moments, and most importantly to the men, collecting two dollars from each ROMEO a week for their Powerball lottery to more somber responsibilities, such as letting the group know when someone has passed away.
Over the last year, the ROMEOs lost three of their members.
“One fellow passed away and he thought so much of the ROMEOs that his sons came down from somewhere up north to go to a ROMEO breakfast to tell us how much he appreciated [the group],” 82-year-old David St. Clair recalled.
My grandfather, David St. Clair joined the ROMEOs about a year ago after Lutz invited him. Other than my grandmother’s water aerobics and their trips to the dump and grocery store, my grandparents live a quiet life in Dunnellon.
Their hopes of road tripping across the U.S. in their RV was cut short three years ago when COVID-19 hit. Not being able to travel left them both connecting to their neighbors and community locally. My grandmother was able to take morning walks with neighbors safely outside— and thanks to the ROMEOs, my grandfather now has a reason to go out.
“It should be called the BROMEOs, bored retired old me,” St. Clair jokes.
My grandfather is considered now a frequent member who has grown close in comradeship with the men.
“I am a regular member that if a Tuesday passed where I wasn’t there, at least one guy would reach out to check on me,” St. Clair said. “I look forward to going. I can’t wait to get there on Tuesday morning.”
The group looks out for each other. As the members age and have growing health issues, it is increasingly important to have people to call or check on you.
“[Micheal] won’t be here next week, he is going up to Michigan to check out the property damage on his house from a tornado,” St. Clair recalled, comforting any worries next week that would arise with Lutz’s absence.
When the St. Clairs first moved to Dunellon, they joined the Rainbow Springs Resident Organization. One member started Volunteers in Daily Action, a certified county program where residents could help other older residents with living at home— instead of going to an assisted living facility.
However, the patient themselves had to call for help; certified residents could not be contacted by a patient’s family. While my grandparents have me close by if anything went wrong, other ROMEOs don’t have a guaranteed support system.
“When you ask us older people to do that, they’re too independent and won’t call,” Janet St. Clair said.
And as we get older it seems our social circle shrinks, meaning less friends who can look out for you as well. But for many of the old men of the ROMEOs, their circle is only growing.
“I have Tom over for coffee on other mornings of the week besides Tuesday and we talk for hours,” St. Clair recalls.
While any of them could easily get a cup of coffee at home, the outing every Tuesday gives them something to look forward to and a group who truly cares about one another.
As the men staggeringly pay their tabs and finish their last cups of coffee, the table starts to empty around 9 a.m.
“Alright, I’m heading out guys,” 69-year-old Gus Hantis said.
“Nice to meet you, good luck with your article,” Hantis said to me, glancing back before heading out the door with a chime of the bell overhead. “I hope we said some interesting things.”
