SCRANTON — The lunch hour at a popular downtown Scranton spot never halted when Vice President Joe Biden showed up. Though police and Secret Service swarmed the outside on Linden Street, the V.P. just wanted to meet an old friend for lunch.
Tom Bell of Waverly Township has known Biden since they were school boys in Scranton and got a call from him while waiting for his food at P.J. Scanlan’s Restaurant.
“He said, ‘No no no I’ll be right down.’ And that’s what he did he came right down and had lunch with me and now he’s gone,” Bell said.
For about a half hour the Vice President had lunch with his old friend from St. Paul’s School and other friends he’s made in Scranton before and during his political career.
Taking a break from his potato leek soup, Biden stepped out to say “hi” to Federal Judge Richard Conaboy and his wife. Judge Conaboy said the gesture made his day, but is just like Joe to do so.
“He called me in the car and I just made way to say hello to him here. He’s a wonderful man we’re happy to have him here in Scranton,” Judge Conaboy said.
“He’s truly truly a wonderful guy. Everyone of us here would wind up wanting to be his friend if we had the opportunity,” added Bell.
The Vice President left P.J. Scanlan’s having made some new friends too, like John Mackey and Kathy Weiss of Scranton who never expected such an exciting lunch break.
“It’s impressive, it’s very impressive. We came for a business luncheon and we said we had no idea we were going to have lunch with the Vice President today! It was quite nice,” Mackey said.
After the visit in Scranton, the Vice President’s motorcade went south to another busy lunch spot in Lackawanna County, Terry’s diner in Moosic. While there he shook hands and had a meeting with residents.
