My first week of 2013 vacation is under way. I’m happy it’s here because I was starting to feel a little run down from the sameness of the routine.
Plans for this ten-day stretch of fun have changed a few times. I toyed with a super-ambitious voyage to Japan and South Korea and got cold feet when I started visualizing solo adventures in Tokyo and Seoul. With the help of Google Maps, I would take virtual practice walks down the street from my virtual hotel to the virtual subway station to the virtual bar and restaurant and it was all pretty confusing to navigate. Yeah, yeah, I know I could do it and it would be fun, but I like to talk to people when I travel. I’ll save it for a time when I can go with somebody.
I considered doing March Madness in Vegas or at a live site but I’m not in a spot to lose big dough and the on-site tourney experience is dampened by the ban on beer sales.
I ended up deciding to head out to Southern California for Burgerama II which is a two-day rock and roll music festival this weekend in Santa Ana. The band lineup on both days is crazy good. Saturday’s card includes White Fence and King Tuff.
On the way out, I’m gonna make a stop in Nashville to see my pal Jeff D. We plan on seeing Alex Bleeker and his band The Freaks play the Mercy Lounge on Wednesday night.
As I write this, I’m in a crowded airport gate area waiting for an empty seat to Music City. One full flight has left without me. I have two more cracks at it.
I arrived Newark Airport’s Terminal A about 11 AM. With some time to kill before my attempt to ride the 12:52 PM non-stop to Nashville, I sought a stiff cup of coffee and something to nibble on. I had left the apartment on an empty stomach so I was ready for some caffeine.
Rarely do I find myself in Terminal A at Newark but I had read a newspaper story several months ago saying the Golden Krust chain had opened a shop there. I have a thing for the jerk chicken variation of Krust’s beef patty. Whenever anybody faces jury duty at the Civil Courthouse in Jamaica, Queens, I always recommend a stop at the Golden Krust location in that neighborhood. It’s a warm, friendly place that feels not like a fast food outlet.
So, here I was in Newark thinking the Golden Krust experience I’m so fond of based on my Jamaica, Queens experiences would translate to same at the airport.
Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case.
When I walked in, I was drawn to the big glass display case containing the patties. It appeared to be a self-service set-up. Paper patty sleeves were positioned on the customer side of the counter and the display case appeared to have handles to slide the doors open.
Not seeing a Krust worker behind the counter, I attempted to slide open the patty case. A young man near the register shouted “Sir! Sir! What are you doing?”
“I’m grabbing a jerk chicken patty,” I said.
“No, sir. That’s my job.” said the worker (and again at a volume more befitting of a scold).
“Sorry,” I said. “It appeared to me to be self-service.”
I bought the patty ($3.10) and ordered a coffee. No coffee. So, I walked over to the Dunkin’ Donuts across the hall and bought a large coffee.
Still with time to spare before I had to go through security, I went back to Krust with my patty and coffee. I sat down in the empty dining area and ate the patty. As I was sipping my coffee (in the distinctive foam Dunkin’ Donuts cup), a second Krust worker approached me and told me I couldn’t sit in the dining area without making a purchase.
But I had!
I had bought the delicious and savory jerk chicken-filled patty encased in baked dough. Problem was, I had already finished it. The worker looked at me and didn’t appear fully convinced by my patty purchase claim. She stared at the Dunkin’ Donuts cup. I told her I would have bought a Krust coffee had it been available.
I walked away with a smile from the double dose of anti-customer vibrations. It was comedy show in its absurdity. I chalked it up to the fact so much of what happens inside a New York airport is best handled with a laugh.