I Want Strangers To Feed Me Again

Houston 175, James Coney Island on Walker Avenue, Houston

It’s a darn good thing I know how to cook, since I’ve had to cook 98% of our meals over these past nine weeks. My first thoughts in the morning are, “Take Bayer aspirin, give dog his pill, make coffee, thaw meat.” Meal prep is, as Willie Nelson sang, always on my mind. Manana in Texas means bars, yes, BARS, will open. Restaurants have already been plugging away at 25%, at least those that have not yet folded. A handful of iconic Austin restaurants operating for over 30 years each, have died a COVID death. Tomorrow, restaurants can allow 50% occupancy. And no, they will not shove blow-up sex dolls in booths to establish social distancing like a certain establishment in South Carolina did…

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Austin is known for keeping it weird, but that’s hella weird. Crazy weird. And yet, when I think of the flaky dim bulb brains of many hostesses I’ve known, it’s probably helpful, so they wouldn’t seat those tables. Nice touch with the bowls and forks.

20 thoughts on “I Want Strangers To Feed Me Again”

  1. I too am very grateful to be a pretty good cook who can whip a delicious meal up out of random ingredients. We never ate out a lot but I must admit I am missing having the option to just say “Stuff it” and have someone else do all the meal prep, cooking, and cleaning. It was always a treat for us to dine out but, when such things are possible again, I shall regard it as even more of a treat. We did have take out for Mother’s Day and eating something I had not had to cook felt like manna in the wilderness.

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    1. I bet! We went to three places, and not a ONE of them had any employees wearing masks. I finally got a burger that took 30 min to cook, while we sat, wearing masks, so it was not a good Mother’s Day at all. It’s pricey enough with just a family of three; I can’t imagine feeding double!

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      1. That is why it is only a very occasional treat. We have a neighbourhood Facebook group that is sharing information on which places are practicing robust mitigation efforts and providing things like contact free pick up or delivery. A lot of my neighbours order take out a lot so there is a good list now of places to choose from.

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  2. LOL. And I thought only chefs questioned the server mentality. I will be sooo glad to get out to restaurants and bars again. Here in Indy they can only serve out doors at 50% starting Friday. Most of the rest of the state is already there. The first round is on me.

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  3. Oh my hahahahaha!!! I guess everyone has to keep track of the social distancing somehow! That’s too bad about the restaurants closing up, we’ve been trying to order lots of takeout to keep our favorite places afloat and also give ourselves a break from cooking! Or should I say, give my slow cooker a break from cooking haha 🙂

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    1. I hear that. I’m so dang tired of cleaning out my slow cooker! We go to our some place that we used to eat on Saturdays, and just carryout, looking wistfully inside at the brave and crazy few who go inside.

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  6. My wife Karen and I treated ourselves to takeout last night from a restaurant/pub I Pre-virus attended every couple of months with my longtime friend KP, Kerbey. They have the routine down. March into the lobby. Stay distanced. Pay at the shielded register. Pick up you food bag from the top of a table. March out the opposite direction, through the darkened main room. Sad. Oh, so very sad, to see the closed down taps of the bar and empty tables of the usual bustling big space around it. Not even a blow up doll to make it look occupied.

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      1. I hope so, too. It is a locally owned place that has been successful enough to expand to three or four Syracuse-area locations. So, knock on wood that Tully’s hangs in here.

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    1. Thank you! Just moved out of ICU and into cardiac unit. They brought him carnitas and black beans and rice for lunch, but he was too nauseated to eat. 😪 Is your daughter going stir crazy?

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      1. That sounds positive! The part about moving out of ICU! Wow, lunch sounds delicious. Too bad he’s not feeling well enough to dig in. Yes, Oliva is super lonely without any friends around. I’m really thankful for the puppy lately. At least she has her to play with. I hope you’re doing ok Kerbey! This must be a lot to process as if you didn’t have enough to worry about. I’m sending you love.

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      2. Love to you as well. Sounds like Oliva can relate to my only child playing with our dogs as well. Not seeing or talking to any peers for months must be so hard for them.

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      3. Thank you! Yes, Oliva can totally relate to your son in that way. They both celebrated bdays during COVID too. Gotta be some better days ahead for them. Fingers crossed 🤞

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