Growing up, it was pretty rare that we ate out. An occasional bucket of KFC for Sunday dinner, MAYBE a burger king hangaber after swim practice if we were running late to the next activity, it happened, but not very often.
But there were a few very rare evenings when dad would come home for dinner before heading back up to the church for his nightly meetings and say, “Let’s go grab some Arthur Treacher’s.” YES!!!!!! Those were good nights. To this day, I have no idea what would bring on the Arthur Treacher’s spending binge, but I loved it. Fried fish and chips, nummmmmm. We had to wait longer for our food and I ALWAYS wanted to get some just for us to eat on the way home in addition to the regular order. Yuh, I’ve been doing the pre-game meal for a while now. Sometimes dad would let me do that, but not always. So even the special fish and chips night had the opportunity to be epic. Fo shizzle.
To this day, I still have in my mind that Arthur Treacher’s (by the way, saying Arthur Treacher’s in my head every time I type it is tough for this ‘r’ challenged speech therapy class dropout) has the greatest fish and chips on planet Earth. I mean, come on! Hush puppies, this was the only time in my life I could get hush puppies! And all of it served on cool pub paper…
NOW, in all reality, IS this the greatest fish and chips on the planet? I’m guessing not, I’ve had better as an adult. The grease is better pretty much everywhere and I get a Guinness with the meal. I DO remember the chips were crispy and I still enjoy crispy rather than soggy chips. But I’m in Wisconsin now and we have tator tots. Ever have Poutine with tots instead of fries? Uhhhhhh, if no, run to the Red Dot meow. RIGHT MEOW!
But such is the strength of food and memories. I know many, MANY, people who will continue to make shitty food choices just because it brings about some type of happy memory. You’re tasting the memories sweeties, not the food. Start tasting the food. Of course if your diet consists of lots of sugar and refined carbs, you’re not even tasting that. The food actually HAS to be as shitty and greasy as possible in order for you to just taste it. That’s happy.
I’ve previously listed my and Bigg’s list of “if food were hugs.” I can’t remember if I put Arthur Treacher’s on it. I don’t think so. It’s too special, too close to my heart. It’s a special car ride with just me and my Dad. That didn’t happen often. It’s a splurge that we savored, or at least I did. We KNEW it was a splurge therefore treated it with the reverence only a splurge should receive.
I have no idea if Arthur Treacher’s is still around. I DO know that if it is, I won’t touch it. Can’t. There is no way I’ll ruin the tasty memory of our meals there. Quite honestly, that’s exactly where this shitty food that holds good memories belong. In your mind, not your mouth. Savor it…and move on.
There is no greater sorrow
Than to recall a happy time
When miserable.
Dante Alighieri
tosabarbell 