Patience and Saliva

I swam at lunch on Monday-- we had a workshop, so no students all day-- and on the way back to school I stopped to pick up lunch, and though I was pressed for time, I decided to forgo the robotic convenience of ordering a sandwich at WaWa, and instead I patronized a local place in Milltown; I had to wait in line, and it took a long time for them to complete my order, and I was ravenous because of my swim and the several hours we spent poring over the National Core Standards, so--naturally-- when I got in my car, I tore open my "Grand Canyon," a turkey sub loaded with roasted peppers and marinated mushrooms, and took a bite to appease my hunger, but then I made one of the most civilized and refined decisions in my young life . . . I decided not to shovel the sandwich into my mouth as I drove because I didn't want to get oil all over my shirt (there were some cute grade school teachers at the workshop) and because I wanted to sit in the sun and actually enjoy the final minutes of lunch . . . so difficult as it was, I re-wrapped the sandwich and started driving-- and, of course, I got behind an old lady and hit every light, and by the time I got to the school I was drooling like one of Pavlov's dogs-- but I was still extremely proud of myself; I felt mature; I was able to delay my gratification and enjoy my food . . . this is a big step for me and let me offer an example as to why: a number of years ago, after a long car ride to Nags Head, when Whitney and I stopped at Petrozza's Italian Provisions for a rare authentic Italian sub south of the Mason Dixon line-- which we planned to eat on his deck while looking at the Atlantic Ocean-- instead, in a wonderful instance of simultaneous unplanned gluttony-- we both finished our gigantic sandwiches before we even reached the car . . . and-- as Whitney recalls-- we had a pretty good parking spot.

6 comments:

Whitney said...

I believe it was Mrs. T's, and I say that because I remember the incident well, and the car was not that far from the restaurant's front door, and we polished them off well before we got back to the vehicle.

My, look how we have matured now. I have to say I can't do anything close to the damage I used to do in terms of late-night food consumption. Sad, really.

Dave said...

maybe it was mrs. t's . . . sad to say that both are gone.

rob said...

ahhhh, petrozza's and mrs. t's. so very good. at least petrozza has a new shop farther south.

Dave said...

i did not know that.

rob said...

indeed - it's about 2 miles from the martha wood. why we don't go there at obft is one of life's great mysteries.

Dave said...

there's only one two mile trip we take at the obft . . .

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