Oh how I love the South! Nearly three full years here and once again I have been reminded how unfamiliar I am to the Southern sub-culture.
We are spending this Memorial Day weekend in Atlanta, GA. Isabel is dancing her little heart away while I have spent time walking the neighborhood with my camera taking pictures. After hours driving and hours walking, I was desperate for food.
I passed by several small takeout restaurants. I went in and out, one by one, searching for something that might be gluten free. No such luck. I finally stumbled upon a pizza place that serves salads. How can I go wrong? Right?
Well…. I got my chicken Caesar salad to go and headed back to the hotel. Laid my things down, turned on Flea Market Flip and started to dig in. The chicken looked a bit odd to me. I smelled it. It smelled good…but unrecognizable. At this point, I am getting a bit skeptical and asking myself, “What on Earth is this? Is it REAL chicken?” I hesitantly take a bite and realized that this chicken is fried! (Bye bye to the hope of a gluten free meal.) Who knew that chicken Caesar salad was served any other way but grilled! I should have known… This is the South after all.
I wonder how many more times I will bump into the realization that what I once knew as true, finite and standard was only true, finite and standard in the West? No doubt many more times… bringing more self-deprecating humor to us all.
Have a safe and happy Memorial Day Weekend. Let us always remember the sacrifice made for our nation.
Southern Girl 