Simple things

Sometimes fast food is revealing and good. Sometimes, eating at a place that has thousands of restaurants across this great nation is a breath of fresh air, reminding us that life in this society, as glorious as it can be, is just one drive through after another, unless we choose to look in the kitchen.

I came home from work the other day and didn't feel like cooking dinner. I do most of the cooking between Joni and I. She could eat mac and cheese every meal, mixed with chocolate; plus, when she gets home, she's usually in a coma.

I saw one of those commercials where the hamburger joint was offering is owner's name with the word 'Big" in front of it. It just sounded good, looked even better, and since my wife eats stuff with no flavor in it, I was off to get me one of them there Big somethin's. Here was the other thing I wasn't expecting, once I got there, there was a difference in the place.

The kitchen behind the counter was huge and wide open. Of course it was a takeover from a Krispy-Kreme after Krispy-Kreme ran head-long into the South Beach Diet and Adkins. There was wide open space where baby donuts were born in a river of oil a long time ago.

The place was clean-immaculate actually. There is something about walking into a fast food place and not feeling the need to draw your arms and hands in tight to your body for fear of catching something, that improves your appetit. So I got the sandwich-combo actually. It just looked good on TV. The girl at the counter was nice and had all her teeth, "How may I serve you today sir?" You could even understand her and she looked at you and smiled when she spoke to you. For a moment, you thought she really liked her job and wanted to make a career out of it. I ordered the burger and then added the special, two deluxe hot dogs for $1. No, they weren't Costco size, but they were large enough that one would have satisfied me. Why did I order two dogs when I had a "Big?" Because they were two for a buck. Why else?

Look, there are complications to life-war, peace, cholesterol, water, global warming, what will the Cubs do this year, but if you get the chance to enjoy a moment and see the simple side where all those things, for a moment, just fall away and you find yourself admiring a clean floor where one usually isn't, a sincere smile, and a value for a dollar-if you can find that moment, you need to remember it and pass it on.