I first posted this story on March 15, 2012… I thought it would be fun to bring back for St. Pat’s Day 2016… it was one of my first attempts at writing a Haiku…
Quill Shiv has a new Haiku writing prompt… A photo of Saint Patrick.
My result:
Corned Beef and Cabbage Tacos… In 1986, back in my Restaurant Days, I went to work for Jerry Franco. Jerry was a bit of a culinary impresario on the Sacramento restaurant scene. He had just reopened the Town House on 21st Street, down the block from The Sacramento Bee newspaper. The Town House had been a Mexican Food tradition and had been sitting empty for a few years after the owner retired. Franco had opened in a blaze of glory, courting the news hounds and the denizens of California State Government. Having just left a job managing The Fabulous Fifties Cafe, I was ready to mingle with and serve adults. So I went to work for Jerry as a waiter/bartender/manager.
It was a fun place to work, and we did some crazy promotions to try to make the Town House a success. Big lunch business, big after-work bar business. He kept a few Mexican items on the menu, along with the ‘Upscale Designer’ dishes he came up with. Each Happy Hour, we featured a Taco Bar, where the patrons could make their own tacos, to wash down with their Martinis and G & T’s. For me, that taco bar was a pain in the ass, since I had to leave the bar and run back to the kitchen to replenish the supplies. But the tips were pretty good as long as the food held out.
good story Ted
Thanks, Aggie!
Great story Ted! The haiku works well after reading the full post but it had me flummoxed initially. What are America’s other drinking holidays, Ted? In Australia ever holiday is a drinking holiday. 😥 you have had a very varied working life. I love putting a few more pieces in the puzzle, especially when the shapes are interesting and amusing.
I hate the way I cannot edit my own comments on WordPress! Corrections for previous comment: “In Australia every holiday . . . “. Well that one you would have worked out. The one I really want to change, is that there should be a full stop after the sad face and then a new sentence starting with “You have . . . ” . I am not sad about your varied career! I AM very sad about our (over-) drinking culture here, as it causes a lot of violence on the streets and domestically. It is also incredibly ugly and distressing to me, to see beautiful young men and women falling over and vomiting in gutters due to over consumption.
Cool! Interesting little vignette-glimpse into your past life! I feel like I was there with you 🙂
Reblogged this on TedBook's DAILY PICS… and commented:
Bringing back for St. Pat’s Day this Friday…