On a Tuesday

On Tuesdays, Arkie’s Grill serves chicken and dumplings. I happen to love chicken and dumplings, so I grab my purse and head over for lunch. I’m driving the streets of east Austin, thinking about work and writing and food and love. I pull into the parking lot, and it’s jam-packed… I worry that maybe I’m too late, and they will have sold out of chicken and dumplings.

I find a spot and head inside, and I’m greeted right away by a sweet waitress who remembers me from my last visit. “Sit wherever you’d like, hon!” And so I do. I snag a seat at the counter and listen to the ruckus of a room full of people having lunchtime conversations.

The counter waitress asks what I’d like to drink.

“Water, please. And do you still have chicken and dumplings?” (I’m really worried that they sold out.)

“We sure do. Would you like some?”

I would. I would like some, with coleslaw and scalloped potatoes and turnip greens. I don’t have to wait long until my plate is in front of me, piping hot. The waitress brings over a dinner roll and a corn muffin. It’s a ton of food. I eat.

An older man sits next to me and notes that I’m eating chicken and dumplings. He approves. He orders pork roast with beans, potatoes and greens. He says his name is Deaf Ed.

Deaf Ed spent the morning on a tractor, but the heat was too much, and so he’s done for the day. He likes just about everything they serve at Arkie’s, but his favorite is meatloaf on Mondays.

He’s ready to do some traveling. He wants to see Vietnam again, this time without anyone shooting at him. He wants to visit Thailand and the Holy Land.

Deaf Ed is completely deaf in his left ear and mostly deaf in his right ear as a result of a tumor that grew in his brain. His doctor says the tumor was related to Agent Orange exposure. He had the tumor removed, but as a result, he had to give up SCUBA diving, which he misses dearly. He tells me about his top-quality gear, his underwater cameras and lights, and the islands that he’s visited. He says that diving lets you see the other 90% of the ocean that you miss when you’re just snorkeling. He says the best time to dive is at night, because a whole new host of creatures comes out to hunt – he particularly loved to watch the octopi.

Deaf Ed talks about how the quality of food went downhill when convenience became a priority. He tells me about his grandmother, who used flour, lard, butter, sugar and salt to make some of the best food he’s ever tasted. He says that the chicken and dumplings at Arkie’s are almost as good as his grandmother’s, and that’s saying a lot.

He says he’s probably the only person in the room who knows how to wring a chicken’s neck. He says the only eggs worth eating come from hens you raise yourself.

It’s time for me to head back to work, so I say goodbye to Deaf Ed and pay my bill (which comes to about $7.00). I leave a big tip and head back out into the heat, smiling. Life is good. As stressful as it is to write this book, it has led me to Arkie’s and Deaf Ed and an appreciation for food that lies beyond sushi and pork belly and microgreens. And for that, I’m grateful.

12 responses to “On a Tuesday”

  1. This is such a lovely post, Crystal, thank you! And good luck with the book!

  2. I love this little story!

    Don’t moments like this remind you of how absolutely awesome life is? It’s so nice when you have a completely unexpected moment of wonderfulness like this that reminds you that humankind is really neat and that life is awesome even if you’re not spending big bucks at some new restaurant. Sometimes the little things in life really are the best things!

  3. oohhh…that one brought tears to my eyes! Thanks for sharing.

  4. I love it when you come across a friendly person who likes to talk. I love to hear about the good old days. I just think the days before all the conveniences were probably 100 times better than now because if you speak to people about times before the computers, phones, electronic games and processed foods, they always sound so……..happy. Using your imagination to play, the excitement of meeting at church on Sunday to see your friends and family and having a real picnic with fresh foods or a big homemade Sunday dinner. I used to work with a gentleman in Denver City who would talk all about those times during lunch and the guys would hate it, but I loved it! I miss that.

  5. so enjoying the stories with food recommendations. i so enjoy talks with friendly peeps who have a story to tell. : ) happy book making!

  6. This is a wonderful post! Great way to remember all the good people out there. It’s like the “good old days”…

    Wei-Wei

  7. Thanks for the narrative.. pulled us right along with you..
    and now I want chicken and dumplings, and a lovely lunch.

  8. Thanks for all your comments, everyone. I’m so glad I shared Deaf Ed’s story with you all. 🙂

  9. What a great story!! I love when I randomly meet people and when they tell me about their life. I haven’t tried Arkies Grill, yet but it is on the top of places to try in Austin.

    1. I hope you get to try it soon! Preferably on a Tuesday for chicken and dumplings, or on a Thursday for turkey dinner. 🙂

  10. This made my morning. There is something about a man and his story that has always captured my attention, and this did just that. Thanks for sharing.

    1. So glad you like it! And so glad I could share his story. 🙂

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