In 1982 bop's in Austin for Turkey Day game.
After game bop goes to famous old Mexican restaurant, El Rancho, down on East 1st near the river (now Ceasar Chavez Blvd).
bop wearin' his Aggie ball cap walks in the door. Room full of t-sip fans. Before bop could be seated here and there came smatterings of the "Poor Aggies" chant. (game t.u. 53, Ags 16)
What really got under bop's skin ? Some waiters and waitresses were chiming in too. bop departed.
Two years later in 1984 Turkey Day Austin (Ags 37 sips 12). post game bop returns to El Rancho.
Very few sips, lots of happy Ags.
bop sitting alone. Waitress shows up placing water, silverware, basket of chips and bowl of dip on the table. Hands bop a menu. bop says, "Thank You Ma'am."
While intently studying the menu bop starts eating chips and dip. Waitress returns and asks bop if he's ready to order. bop says, "Sugar give me ah few minutes more, please." Waitress smiles and departs. bop keeps eating chips and dip (while reading the menu).
Waitress comes back bringing more chips and dip and says, "Are you ready to order Hon ?" bop says, "How much is your water ? Can't find it anywhere on your menu." Waitress replies, "Why nuthin', water is free."
(Like music to bop's ears.)
bop with serious look says, "Well, good then. I'll have three cups of hot water and right now that's all."
Waitress (not believing her ears) says back to bop, "'Scuse me? Did you jest say you wanted three cups of hot water and that's all ?"
bop says firmly, "YES, THREE CUPS OF HOT WATER, AND THAT'S ALL !"
PO'd waitress quickly departs and returns placing three cups of hot water on the table.
bop says, "Thank you, and that will be all."
Waitress departs and starts whispering to other employees. (From not too afar five or six of 'em are watchin' bop's every move.)
bop not looking up (yet knowing there's an attentive audience watchin') goes about bein' fully focused on the task at hand by gingerly and ceremoniously reaching into his breast coat pocket to remove ah littl' tea bag. bop slowly opens the tea bag's outer wrapper, folds it neatly on the table and inserts tea bag into one cup of hot water. bop lets bag sit and simmer in cup of hot water.
Then bop takes second and third cups. To slightly reduce their water levels bop sips a small amount of hot water from each cup. bop reaches for ketchup bottle with left hand and commences pouring measured amounts of ketchup into second and third cups 3/4's full of hot water. bop's right hand holding spoon cautiously guides the flow and stir of the mixture.
Again, with serious focused intent - yet not to over-play it, bop commences saltin' and pepperin' the concoction. bop even unwraps and crumbles table crackers into the mix.
By this time first cup of hot tea is ready. bop lifts the bag squeezing it firmly and then places tea bag ino a small plastic sack. Slips small sack back into coat pocket (for possible tea bag re-use later). bop sugars and creams his hot tea too.
Chip baskets and dip appetizer out of the way, dinner ready and waiting (two warm cups of hearty tomato soup, cracker ladened, and one cup of hot tea).
bop only used one paper napkin. Folded it nice and neatly too.
bop signaled waitress for check.
Speechless, red-faced PO'd waitress writes bop a check for ten cents with some immortal words "Ten cent crackers, for a cracker."
bop wuz in a mood to tip her 20% too (that is, 2 cents) 'til he read that scrawly littl' script.
Left dime on table. Made fast exit...never to return.
(El Rancho-Austin is now on South Lamar...since 1986.)
[This message has been edited by bebopag1 (edited 5/27/2014 1:25p).]
After game bop goes to famous old Mexican restaurant, El Rancho, down on East 1st near the river (now Ceasar Chavez Blvd).
bop wearin' his Aggie ball cap walks in the door. Room full of t-sip fans. Before bop could be seated here and there came smatterings of the "Poor Aggies" chant. (game t.u. 53, Ags 16)
What really got under bop's skin ? Some waiters and waitresses were chiming in too. bop departed.
Two years later in 1984 Turkey Day Austin (Ags 37 sips 12). post game bop returns to El Rancho.
Very few sips, lots of happy Ags.
bop sitting alone. Waitress shows up placing water, silverware, basket of chips and bowl of dip on the table. Hands bop a menu. bop says, "Thank You Ma'am."
While intently studying the menu bop starts eating chips and dip. Waitress returns and asks bop if he's ready to order. bop says, "Sugar give me ah few minutes more, please." Waitress smiles and departs. bop keeps eating chips and dip (while reading the menu).
Waitress comes back bringing more chips and dip and says, "Are you ready to order Hon ?" bop says, "How much is your water ? Can't find it anywhere on your menu." Waitress replies, "Why nuthin', water is free."
(Like music to bop's ears.)
bop with serious look says, "Well, good then. I'll have three cups of hot water and right now that's all."
Waitress (not believing her ears) says back to bop, "'Scuse me? Did you jest say you wanted three cups of hot water and that's all ?"
bop says firmly, "YES, THREE CUPS OF HOT WATER, AND THAT'S ALL !"
PO'd waitress quickly departs and returns placing three cups of hot water on the table.
bop says, "Thank you, and that will be all."
Waitress departs and starts whispering to other employees. (From not too afar five or six of 'em are watchin' bop's every move.)
bop not looking up (yet knowing there's an attentive audience watchin') goes about bein' fully focused on the task at hand by gingerly and ceremoniously reaching into his breast coat pocket to remove ah littl' tea bag. bop slowly opens the tea bag's outer wrapper, folds it neatly on the table and inserts tea bag into one cup of hot water. bop lets bag sit and simmer in cup of hot water.
Then bop takes second and third cups. To slightly reduce their water levels bop sips a small amount of hot water from each cup. bop reaches for ketchup bottle with left hand and commences pouring measured amounts of ketchup into second and third cups 3/4's full of hot water. bop's right hand holding spoon cautiously guides the flow and stir of the mixture.
Again, with serious focused intent - yet not to over-play it, bop commences saltin' and pepperin' the concoction. bop even unwraps and crumbles table crackers into the mix.
By this time first cup of hot tea is ready. bop lifts the bag squeezing it firmly and then places tea bag ino a small plastic sack. Slips small sack back into coat pocket (for possible tea bag re-use later). bop sugars and creams his hot tea too.
Chip baskets and dip appetizer out of the way, dinner ready and waiting (two warm cups of hearty tomato soup, cracker ladened, and one cup of hot tea).
bop only used one paper napkin. Folded it nice and neatly too.
bop signaled waitress for check.
Speechless, red-faced PO'd waitress writes bop a check for ten cents with some immortal words "Ten cent crackers, for a cracker."
bop wuz in a mood to tip her 20% too (that is, 2 cents) 'til he read that scrawly littl' script.
Left dime on table. Made fast exit...never to return.
(El Rancho-Austin is now on South Lamar...since 1986.)
[This message has been edited by bebopag1 (edited 5/27/2014 1:25p).]
