A Melon-cholly Morning...

I think I'll just have some fruit, thank you!

I left quite early from my friend's house to catch a flight from Ontario airport to 'da Bayou. It was so early that no restaurants were open to serve any coffee except, "Applebee's." I didn't feel good taking up an entire booth just to have a cup of coffee, so I asked for a breakfast menu and there at the bottom of every wonderful photo of an omelet, or fruit plate, or pancake combo was the calories one would consume with any of these entrees. The only early morning offering under a thousand calories was the melon and bagel plate. It was about 950 calories including coffee.

I actually wasn't even hungry having eaten a late dinner the night before, but if I was hungry at those caloric prices, I quickly would have lost my appetite. Me thinks it not a very good marketing strategy for a restaurant, but a very good one for the dieting kind.

Copyright 2012/Ben Bensen III

The Waitress at Gus's is Called Norma...

The waitress at Gus's is named Norma. She has long "dirty blonde" hair that usually covers her face as she buzzes around the tables catering to customers, busing tables, straightening out seat arrangements, taking orders, generally entertaining the men with her good looks. I once asked if I could sketch her and she said I'd have to do it on the run, because she can't stop. But, I got a good chance to capture her spirit when she began to write the specials of the day on the bulletin board. I always compliment her on the ability to write each meal in one straight line and always within the borders of the menu board. That's not something everyone is able to do, especially if you have about a dozen or more entrees to enter.

So, while Norma stood still at the counter long enough to finish the menu board, I surreptitiously sketched away. Seated at the table was a morning regular, Paula Alario, originally from New Orleans, but now is a "fully grow-ed" country girl who now rides in barrel race competition. Paula saw my sketch and immediately recognized who it was.

Every now and then, I get it right!