The AI lab in the engineering building where I work most days on the ASU campus was dead today. For the first couple hours, I was the only person in there. Finally someone else, a graduate student, came in around 10. I stayed for another hour before deciding to head home.
I decided on a whim to check out a place I'd found in Tempe while exploring near campus the week box. It was an eatery of some kind, called the Chuckbox, and it looked to be an ancient relic of early times set amidst the more modern 21st century architecture of Tempe, just across University Boulevard from campus. I recognized immediately it must be a landmark familiar to generations of ASU students. Given that so little of old Tempe survives--even things that would have been there in the 1990s---I resolved to visit it, and today seemed like the perfect day. Even though it was exactly in the opposite direction to where I park, I thought it would be no big deal to walk up and have an early lunch on my way home.
Campus was empty as I walked through it going north instead of south as usual. Among the few people I saw were two students on the lawn in front of Old Main, in gym workout clothes practicing a cheerleading routine. The muscular young man was throwing a blond girl with a pony tail into the air and catching her. It was picture perfect, so classically collegiate, although they looked to be broiling in the sun.
The Chuckbox was only a couple hundred yards from there, across the street from the the campus First United Methodist Church on the north side of University. I came upon the back door, out on the parking lot, which had neon signs like a beer joint, including the Cardinal mascot of the local NFL franchise. It looked like a real dive. I went around to the front and it looked exactly the back. Very weathered and classic look. I pulled open the door, and to my surprise found it very crowded. Almost all the tables were taken. There a modest line to order. One placed one's order with a young man at the start of a cafeteria style line along the back. I listened as the two girls in front of me ordered, so I could do so without being too awkward.
The ancient flattop grill was right next to where one ordered. One could see the classic mishapen patties frying there. It reminded me of a similar place in Austin near the UT campus, where students had ordered hamburgers for generations. I felt at home. I ordered the "Big One" and the suggestion of the young man I got cheese and said cheddar just to speed things along. He took the top of a hamburger bun and stuck two cellophane frill toothpicks into it of different colors which I discerned indicated the type and number of patties, as well as the type of cheese. There were already several such buns in progress.
I took out my credit card, but the guy ignored me. Then I saw that the young women who had ordered before me were standing by the grill, a little on the far side of it. I saw the sign saying "wait here for your order". So I did. It took only a few moments for the one of the guys tending the grill (there were three of them) to flip the patties onto a bun in a disposable container and place them in reach by the grill, announcing the type of burger. The young women picked up their to-go orders and headed down towards the place where you picked up the sides one ordered. I had ordered onion rings, because I have always loved onion rings since I was a kid, and this place felt comfortable that way, as it would have existed even when I was a boy.
Shortly my burger was place on a plate on a tray, as I had chosen to dine-in. Then I went down and saw my onion rings in a metal slot under heat lamps. Thankfully the order was smaller than I feared it might be---just the right size for one person for lunch and not a huge basket. I also picked up a coke from the fountain.
Then I walked up to the guy at the register, and only then do I notice the sign which says in big white letters "CASH ONLY" and explained that it helped speed up the process. It hit me that I 'd seen the cash only sign several times, even on my way in, and it hadn't registered on me!
Uh, oh, I thought. I hope I have enough. The total came to seventeen dollars and seventy-five cents. I put down my tray and dug into my wallet. I saw my folded cash in my wallet. I explained my situation to the guy at the counter, saying I had totally spaced on noticing the sign and that I hoped I had enough. He said there was a cash machine by the door.
I took it out my cash and counted it quickly. Two fives and six ones. I was almost two dollars short. I told him that, and that I would be willing to go to the cash machine and get the rest, but he just waved it off in a nonchalant way and told me make up for it next time. I offered to put the drink back, but he waved it off. I handed him what I had---sixteen bucks and left with my tray to find a seat. I was both relieved and humiliated. It seemed unlikely I would enjoy the meal.
As I ate my burger, which was as tasty as I hoped, and sitting among the people at the other tables, I reflected how for me, in such situations, it always seems to work out that I have just enough to cover the unexpected shortfall. Somehow I get granted that grace, over and over in my life. This was a strange exception, but I tried to think it was for a reason. If only I hadn't taken that fountain drink at the end! At least I would have a reason to come back, to make up the money I'd shorted them.
Then it hit me that I had seen a one dollar bill loose lately, one that I had received but had left out of my wallet, and that had even gone through the wash. I had it in my backpack at one point. So I dug into my backpack but no such luck. Then I just tried my left front pocket, and I felt cash in there. I pulled out two one dollar bills, as if it were a magic trick.
Without wasting a second, I sprung up and hurried back to the register. I handed the guy the two one dollar bills in triumph. Now I could enjoy my meal. The onion rings were great too. Just the right crunchiness.
I took these shots before entering. Notice the prominent red and white sign in the second video.
Here's one of the grill I snuck while waiting for my order.
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