(Of course it's a food place).
(Because food is everything).
One of my best friends, Lynsie, and I met in 7th grade. We had several classes together, but we met officially in Algebra. She sat behind me, and she kept a copy of The Outsiders on the corner of her desk because she thought the boys were hot.
The most important thing I learned from Lynsie was how to have a crush on a boy. The steps go something like this:
Step 1: Pick a boy
Step 2: Give the boy a code name
Step 3: Go ahead and share the boy because he's never going to pay any attention to either of you anyway, so you might as well both obsessively crush on him
Step 4: Find out where the boy lives and convince Lynsie's mom to drive you past his house with fierce regularity
The second most important thing Lynsie brought into my life was our Chinese food restaurant. Proper credit goes to Lynsie's mom, who not only willingly drove us past Tall One and Dog Boy's houses (see steps 2 & 4) but also found the Chinese restaurant and clued us in.
Lynsie and I started eating at the restaurant in high school. We loved the independence of being able to drive ourselves to a food place and buy our own meals. It helped that this restaurant had gigantic combination meals for $5.25.* We could get soup, sweet and sour chicken, ham friend rice, and an egg roll and still have enough money to stop at the Tasty Marble** on the way home. The food came out so piping hot, we'd burn our mouths if we dug in too soon.
The restaurant became our place and is still our place. We just ate there last month, though it's now a year or two between visits instead of a week or two (the food is still piping hot, 18 years later) (18 years!!! Oh my gosh!!!)
As teenagers, Lynsie and I ate at the restaurant with boys, we went there with friends, and we dined there with our families. I was shocked one day to find my uncle there. I felt like he'd imposed on our hidden treasure. He claimed it was his place, and I just couldn't accept it! That's a hard thing about the restaurant, every regular customer thinks it's theirs.
When Scotty came home from his mission, one of the first things I wanted to do was take him to get Chinese food. We ate there while we dated and when we were engaged. We ate there while I was pregnant with Nicky, and then we ate there with our baby. We ate there with our next baby, too... and now with four kids we still eat there.
The only problem with our restaurant is that the owner has never liked us. Lynsie believes this is because her dad didn't leave a tip during one of her family's first visits, sabotaging us early on.
The owner is a bit of a stern fellow. I don't blame him - he basically lives there running his business. One time we walked in and the restaurant was empty, and he was asleep in the back booth. When the door jingled, he stood up - disoriented and hair mussed - and when he saw us, his face read utter disappointment. Which is kind of his permanent face anyway, but here'es the thing: for 18 years we have watched this man be chummy with all his other customers. He knows their names, he knows their regular orders, he chats with them. He doesn't smile - that's not his manner, but he treats the other customers different.
For Lynsie and me, he basically slams our food in front of us and avoids us as much as possible. He's consistent even when Lynsie and I aren't there together. Ironically, this is part of the joy of eating there. We find his distaste for us endlessly amusing.
But we leave a generous tip, in hope of changing his mind. After all, he's practically watched us grow up.
*The prices are still reasonable, but they're around $6.75 now.
**The Tasty Marble was an ice cream place like Cold Stone, but it was BETTER. They had two exquisite chocolate flavors that I've never found anywhere else.
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