Trash Talk: A Wallet's Misadventure at Panda Express

Once, in Panda Express, while I was enjoying a meal brimming with flavor, I noticed a teenage couple sitting nearby. One of them had laid their wallet on their food tray and apparently forgot about it because when they left and proceeded to tidy up their table, the wallet was dumped into the trash along with the rest of their meal debris. The pair then exited the restaurant.

My friend exclaimed, “Hey! He just threw his wallet in the trash!”  

Soon after, the teenage duo raced back into the restaurant, panic etched across their faces. The boy, in a moment of brilliant deduction, glanced at the trash can but decided he wasn't the wallet-in-the-trash kind of guy.

A.I. recreation.

Looking back, maybe I should have told them their wallet was in the trash, but, in the moment, I let fate take its course.

The moral of the story? Life's got a twisted sense of humor, and sometimes, wallets just need a little adventure in the trash can.

A.I. recreation.

Rural Eateries

Uncle Jon's cabin site is in a pretty ideal location - about 50 miles north of Anchorage, and even closer to the growing city of of Wasilla; so you can still get into town pretty conveniently.

At some point after miles and miles of nothing but trees, you turn down a long gravel road, then another long gravel road, then there you are.

It's a pleasant little community of isolated cabins - everybody I met was real nice, nobody was full of shit.

The only nearby  commercial facilities (and by "nearby," I mean 20 miles away) are a couple of gas stations, a hardware store, and the occasional lodge.

The low population base makes waiting in line extremely rare. This was particularly impressive coming in from southern California.

Typical Alaskan roadside lodge.

Interesting hood ornament.

A little further, and you'll find a couple of local eating establishments, both of them provide huge portions:

Sunshine Restaurant.

Sunshine Restaurant is my favorite, it's right next to a gas station, so we ended up there more often than not. They always had a giant stack of newspapers piled on one of the tables. I don't know if they are ever packed to capacity with customers.

In the other direction, towards Willow, is the Trading Post:

Willow Trading Post.

This place was a little rowdier since it is also a bar in the evenings. Huge portions, again.

[Originally posted on Rebel Leady Boy, Sep. 7, 2005]

FU w/ Xtra Cheese

Sarah's guest check book from work.

Did you know waitresses wrote such things in their guest check books?

Sarah's guest check book from work.

[Originally posted on I'm Nacho Steppinstone, Feb. 2, 2004]

1-800-DEL-TACO

Del Taco branded pay phone outside a Del Taco in Orange, CA; 2005.

Del Taco Hotline.