30 years ago today, I came to America. It was probably the best but hardest decision I ever made, and the anniversary – which I usually ignore – is bittersweet. Kristin suggested I do something ‘American’ to celebrate… so I walked to McDonalds for lunch 🙂
Including tax a hamburger happy meal now costs $6.47, which seems a lot for what you get. Service was very fast though, and the food was piping hot and looked good once I unpacked it:
I ate the burger first. As a little boy the junior burger (as it was called in Oz back in those days) was my favorite, but I grew into Big Macs for a few decades before somewhat recently returning to happy meals. It’s just enough food for me now, and I’ve grown to enjoy the simple taste of the plain hamburger.
This one didn’t disappoint, and as I inhaled it I increasingly noticed the rest of the patrons in the dining area were geriatrics or lunatics and I was simultaneously the youngest and sanest in the room. Thankfully the burger was meaty and delicious, and I almost could ignore the madwoman across the restaurant screaming about toilet paper.
Are Macca’s fried the best fast food fry? I can’t answer that now (but I will in time; stay tuned) but I will say that first impressions of this portion were high: they were crispy and hot with a nice potato taste. Unfortunately there must have been a mistake in the kitchen since they were insanely oversalted, and even the half-flat and watery Diet Coke barely cut the bitterness.
I ate them regardless, priding myself on my ability to ignore the ancient nutter gibbering about his hip flask. One of his companions seemed to gutterally grunt at him in response, and I wondered if perhaps they weren’t even human? With my food gone, it was time to inspect the toy.
Macca’s continues to cut costs and the plastic in this Cosmo (a good dog) from Guardians 3 would have probably been better used for anything else. What child wants this? I considered saving it for a future birthday gift for Bernard, but came to my senses (unlike the wizened loon mumbling to himself in the corner) and hurled it into the nearest trash bin.
My anniversary meal completed, I fled the asylum restaurant and walked home. It took a while and was hot, and my extreme salt-induced hydration made it feel hotter, but at least I hadn’t let the day pass without doing something special. Happy 30 years to me 🙂