Inexplicably, this story brought tears to my eyes. The love, the beauty, the feeling of a day in the middle of nowhere, Kansas. All the feels just came right to the surface. Thank you!
I felt like I was standing there behind you as this was all going on, wanting to insist that you not take the chip. But on the other hand, I may not have done anything for fear of insulting the poor old man.
What a brilliant focus on what appeared to be a totally different story.
It brought to mind my own nasty vendor food story, tho mine took place at a back alley food cart on the bad side of a not-so-great part of town in the Middle East.
2 am. And we’d been Ramadan shopping four hours - it’s a thing. Our host walked us thru the winding rabbit warren to his favorite vendor - a manatee of a man who spoke no English and had a river of sweat running from his triple chin to his barely covered belly.
He reached into a basket of what looked like donut holes, but not before swiping his already filthy hand thru his sweat soaked hair. Then, smiling a toothless grin, he violated that donut with his grimy, sweat-covered thumb, poured in a greenish liquid and literally popped it into my gaping mouth.
I did not posses your grace, sadly, and instead grabbed the street-edge of my abaya - shamelessly exposing my uncovered leg in the process - and spit that vile donut-like thing out, then used the fabric of my covering to wipe clean the inside of my mouth, doing my best not to hurl.
Like you, the memory is much better than the event itself, and has become almost legendary among a lifetime of stories.
I can fucking SEE that thumbnail! I see it lingering in that jelly. And I was excited for a completely different end to this story. The great jelly, his love for his wife, some beautiful something. But your ending was way better! Way!!! 💜👏🏻💜👏🏻💜
Inexplicably, this story brought tears to my eyes. The love, the beauty, the feeling of a day in the middle of nowhere, Kansas. All the feels just came right to the surface. Thank you!
this was DELIGHTFUL to read!
you and Jenn are so lucky to have found each other <3
I love this so much
You made every single one of us FEEL that grimy nail!
I felt like I was standing there behind you as this was all going on, wanting to insist that you not take the chip. But on the other hand, I may not have done anything for fear of insulting the poor old man.
Great story. Serious yuck. Great description. How will I get that thumbnail--full of jelly--out of my head?
I have not been successful getting it out of mine 💙
I am sitting here smiling and also crying a little because this is so perfect.
This makes me happy <3
What a brilliant focus on what appeared to be a totally different story.
It brought to mind my own nasty vendor food story, tho mine took place at a back alley food cart on the bad side of a not-so-great part of town in the Middle East.
2 am. And we’d been Ramadan shopping four hours - it’s a thing. Our host walked us thru the winding rabbit warren to his favorite vendor - a manatee of a man who spoke no English and had a river of sweat running from his triple chin to his barely covered belly.
He reached into a basket of what looked like donut holes, but not before swiping his already filthy hand thru his sweat soaked hair. Then, smiling a toothless grin, he violated that donut with his grimy, sweat-covered thumb, poured in a greenish liquid and literally popped it into my gaping mouth.
I did not posses your grace, sadly, and instead grabbed the street-edge of my abaya - shamelessly exposing my uncovered leg in the process - and spit that vile donut-like thing out, then used the fabric of my covering to wipe clean the inside of my mouth, doing my best not to hurl.
Like you, the memory is much better than the event itself, and has become almost legendary among a lifetime of stories.
Aren’t we the lucky ones.
Excellent story.
Great story beautifully told!!! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
I can fucking SEE that thumbnail! I see it lingering in that jelly. And I was excited for a completely different end to this story. The great jelly, his love for his wife, some beautiful something. But your ending was way better! Way!!! 💜👏🏻💜👏🏻💜