Food!!!!!Eleventy!!

All God's chirrins loves them some food!

That noise about the fried chicken and greens – bring it on! I have been given to understand that the turkey was the use of smoked turkey wing tips in place of the BACON that God intended, but WTF, they're up ion the frozen north so one must lower expectations.

OK, I admit it, I'm spoiled. Growing up where 17 brailroads meet the sea means that I've never wanted for fresh anything. Chiean grapes? Si!, Gulf oysters? Oh yeah. Still struggling cajun mudbugs? Mais oui!

Ansd how to cook it? Azerbaijani to Zimbabwean, we got it. I just moved into a new neighborhood and can't wait to check out the Anglo/Jamacain Fish and Chips and Jerk Curry place around the corner. The little lefthanded vietnamese soda shop – so last millenium. And the kosher Thai spot? Heh.

But what's really important is getting in with the “You buy we fry” seafood place down the street. I mean it's almost 8 blocks away, but I've got to try it.

You see, the “you buy we fry” label is a sort of code. Only we racists know it, which is why we're so fat and happy. It means a soul food seafood house.

Since Alfresa's Cafeteria moved off of Almeda Blvd and OST, things haven't been the same. I used to go there with my buddy Dave. We were the token Caspers in the neighborhood. Both worked in the same lab. As a matter of fact it was Dave's lab (clinical, medical. NOT meth)(Microscopes and everything) (Promise!)

But Alfreda's moved up the street, and out of lunchtime strolling distance. Smothered pork chops. Personal sized meatloafs, about the size of a Volkswagen Beetle. Chicken Fried Whatever, it could have been alligator for all you could tell without reading the chalkboard.

Liver and onions. That's right, brothers and sisters. Liver and onions. This establishment on the fringes of the Texas Medical Center had CROWDS of HONKIES invading their space on the Wednesday lunchtimes when it was the special.

Damn it was good. And cheap, too. Healthy, not so much. When Dave went veggie,terrier, to keep his wife happy, he still gained 8 pounds on the 5 veg platter there. Damn but we were some happy racists.

Same thing keeps happening to me though. Last time I was up in Little Rock I found the strip, some good music from the back room. They gave me the funniest looks! I ordered the pork chops (they looked and smelled good), a pair of Buds and a Wild Turkey. Still this funny look from the bartender.

“I'm sorry , but could you remove your hat while you eat?” Well dang me but it had completely slipped my mind!

“Of course, kind sir, and my apologies to the ladies”
“There's no problem, sir, we just like to set an example for the younger folk who come in. And I could slide your guitar into this space behind the bar, it's no trouble, and might avoid a trip hazard.”

Half an hour sufficed to raise my blood sugar and ethanol levels enough to overcome the drive; with hand-crafted classic blues, fresh, never frozen, wafting from the back room The barman asks if the guitar is for real or just a prop.

“Oh for real, to be sure” I reply.

“Well won't you join us in the back room, sit in for a bit?”

“Love to” I said, then fumbled the case open, plugged in and for the first time realized that I was the only white man in a crowd of about 200.

Good time. I mean GOOD TIME!

Damn racist that I am.