Sound advice

I’m old enough to remember 78-rpm records, Elvis, “Hopalong” Cassidy, the Edsel, the original What’s My Line? and American Bandstand—so it’s a cinch I have a clue about drive-in restaurants and carhops, which everybody seems to think were a creation of the 1950s (actually, they’d been around for about 20 years by then).

In our town, the hops would wear cute little poodle skirts and basketball shoes that went way over the ankle as part of their public service. In the private realm, their clothes fueled the warm and fuzzy carnal fantasies of a pervertedly imaginative young man, and I’m forever in their debt.

The food wasn’t bad, either—just like it isn’t at Sonic, whose drive-ins are enjoying a certain resurgence among the retro crowd and beyond. Sonic has about 3,500 eateries in 43 states, including one in Santee—and if this locale doesn’t dredge up the best memories of days gone by, then no such locale exists. The carhops are hot, friendly and fast (the latter likely due to the roller skates)—in fact, their efficiency is the reason behind the name of the franchise, which touts “service at the speed of sound.” No sooner have you ordered your hand-made onion rings and foot-long, quarter-pound Coney hot dog ($7.50 altogether) than it’s in your mouth—all that’s missing as you chow down on your juicy mid-century relic is Dion and the Belmonts. And who can forget the colossal taste of malt from the era’s authentic milkshakes ($3.50)? One taste of a Sonic shake, and you’ve found your thrill; Fats’ protestation be damned. There’s a kids menu as well as the usual burger-and-fries assortments—and don’t overlook the drink fare, which the company swears features about 360,000 combinations.

Santee’s Sonic, as fine a drive-in as you’ll find, is at 10515 Mission Gorge Road (it has a location in Vista, too) and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Visit sonicdrivein.com—or you can call 619-448- 8400. I regularly use the number just to hear a carhop’s voice and imagine what she’s wearing. When I’ve outgrown my sexual precociousness in another 20 years, I’ll probably hang up and move on.