Taking A Walk

by Dwayne Phillips

There are a lot of Shoney’s in the south. They have a menu and a buffet area. The buffet area has all the salad, vegetables, side dishes, and desert anyone could want. We went to Shoney’s for the vegetables (see other great meals at Ryan’s). I needed vegetables now and then.

Shoney’s isn’t a great restaurant. They have pretty good food at pretty low prices. Pretty this, pretty that doesn’t make a fine restaurant, just one that is okay. Actually I am being kind. Lots of people make fun of Shoney’s. I used to make fun of Shoney’s until this meal there.

About the meal:

First, it was one of those rainy, dark days that gives you a feeling of being cold even when your shirt is soaked with perspiration. A meal of hot vegetables and such warms me on the inside when I feel cold on the outside. This meal went down well.

Second, they were having some special of the day like Tuesday or something (I forget now). For $6, you got a small steak and everything on the buffet bar. $6, I mean $6. How could you go wrong for $6?

Third, while eating we figured (pencil, paper, thought, discussion, figuring). Figuring is a sign that I am feeling good. The food combined with the weather of the day left me feeling good, so I figured. I figured the day that I would reach the end of Route 11 and finish taking a walk. We were far enough south and had seen enough mileage markers to estimate the distance to the Louisiana border. I knew that Louisiana only needed two days of walking. A plus B and we knew the end date.

I called my wife from the Shoney’s at just the right time. She was planning to fly down to New Orleans to meet me. She would have arrived three or four days too late. The planning saved us a plane ticket and such.

And the chocolate pudding for desert was just right.