It occurs to me that the title of this post likely was nonsensical to you. Of course my titles are often ridiculous. very often they have nothing to do with the post content. I long ago embraced the notion that headline writing was not in my wheelhouse. And yes, I see you in the back waving your hand aggressively in the air. I know that writing in general is not among my strengths. So just shut up already.
Anyway, back to the point. It was the early or mid 1970's and I was at Boy Scout camp.* The powers that be in the troop made the decision to attend the camp in the last week of the season. Big mistake. The kitchen staff was doing their best to use up the stock of goods on hand. We were given a steady diet of rice and beans cooked in every conceivable way. In those days the young me was a picky eater. High on the list of foods that I would not eat was any kind of bean and rice in all of its forms. We had bean soup for lunch, chicken with rice for dinner. Rice and raisins for breakfast. Chili for lunch. By mid week I was starving. Beef jerky and soft drink "suicides" from the Trading Post will only sustain a growing boy so long. Besides, I did not have unlimited funds at hand.
Finely, I sat down at the table and heaped on platters was a nirvana breakfast -- scrambled eggs, bacon, potatoes. The dishes were passed and we all filled our plates. I grabbed the salt and some asshole had loosened the lid. Most of the shaker ended up square on my plate. Everyone laughed. I thought I would cry. I didn't. There was no better way to be ostracized in those neanderthal pre-women's lib days of macho men than by crying for anything less than amputation, stabbing, or watching Brian's Song. I am fairly certain they served red beans and rice for lunch.
I am still not too fond of beans. I do like rice though.
*Camp Ransburg if you must know
1 comment:
In later years, the food got better. At least when I spent time down there as an ASM in the late '80s, I don't think beans were even on the menu.
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