by Shawn Underwood
I bet a lot – or well most of you – have been to the Tin Room in Beercan, aka Burien, WA.
I love the ambiance of the Tin Room and Tin Theater with the rusty old signs and salvaged pieces tastefully built in to the restaurant. Most of these cool upcycled pieces came from Ernie Eder’s ol’ Hi-Line Tin Shop.
Ernie and I met while we “worked” out together, which is to say we both chatted while standing by the weight machines.

Ernie and I in the weight room, usually we were BOTH chatting.

You think I’m kidding. I’m not. He always had a smile on his face and was the consummate flirt. Again, not kidding. One of the things we chatted about was his lack of a good home cooked meal. I gave him a lot of grief about his tall and increasingly lanky frame. Obviously, his wife Phyllis did the cooking in the family and after she passed, Ernie “batched” it. I continued to see him at the club. Until I didn’t. Dang. I missed him and I feared the worst. My friend and fellow weight room procrastinator passed away.
And then I ended up meeting Ernie again in an entirely different way. No this is not some woo woo mumbo jumbo column.
One Saturday morning I headed to an estate sale super early. I was actually third in line! This never happens, mostly because I can’t get my act together early but anyway, I asked the person in the doorway who had previously lived in the house. I couldn’t believe it was Ernie’s home. Now I’m feeling very sentimental but also very happy because I might find some cool little memento, which belonged to Ernie.
Downstairs in the basement I looked at some very old children’s books. I love this one because of the inscription:

il_570xN.446853470_r6r4 — *“Bomba the Jungle Boy in a Strange Land”*

So sweet…just like my old friend…

Twenty-five years of living in Burien gives Humorist Shawn Underwood much fodder for her writings.
Be aware though – in addition to being a comedy goddess – she is now the “Curator of Vintage Cool” as well: etsy.com/shop/CallMeClever â€¢ shawn@shawnunderwood.com.]]>