Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
One Door Closes, Another Door Opens
Wednesday
February 5, 2003
"I smell her perfume when my eyes are closed
And I see her face in the moon..."
-Robyn Hitchcock "She Doesn't Exist Anymore"
With this new shift, it's the little things that are different. Like getting up at 2:30 AM. I'm not complaining; remember, I've spent the past four years on overnights. But I try not to be too noisy about things as I get up. My neighbor upstairs Heather is cool and there's no need to be waking her up in my process of getting ready. Of course, I'm a sound sleeper, so the alarm clock has to buzz for a few seconds to wake me up. One nice thing about this apartment complex is, with the vaulted ceilings and all, there's not a lot of sound that resonates through. Hopefully this temporary schedule won't make me become public enemy number one. Though if it does, I'm sure it won't be the end of the world.
In what may be my final week of working in St. Petersburg, I've found myself making a tour of sorts to various restaurants and cafes open at 9 in the morning. This morning I visited Steak 'n Shake.
I've made an effort to avoid fast food, but with this shift and the current circumstances it's how it's worked out. I found the Steak 'n Shake by chance, spotting a billboard (which turned out to be misleading). I'd suggest that their definition of "two blocks" and mine are different. But regardless, I found the place.
It was mostly empty, as you might imagine at that non-peak hour. If you know how most Steak 'n Shakes are laid out, you know that there are two doors for entry into a foyer (please pronounce it foi-yer, *not* foi-yay) with one door leading inside. Anyway, I entered one outside door, and an elderly lady opened the other. Being a gentleman, I held open the foyer door inside the restaurant for her. And much to my surprise, she darted through amazingly quick. If there's an 80+ forty yard dash, I want to put my money on her.
I decided to order three pancakes. I was hungry and figured that would fill me up. The blonde woman one booth over caught my attention.
A group of high schoolers came into the restaurant and took a seat one section over. At least I think they were high schoolers. Or maybe they were college freshmen and I'm officially OLD. There's a distinct possibility. If they were high schoolers, then what the hell were they doing not in class?
When you have an hour to kill, and have time to actually take in the scene around you, it's interesting the little things you notice. Like the signs that hung from the ceiling advertising various platters. They had some witty phrases, like "Well, melt my cheese" to advertise a burger melt deal.
When I think of Steak 'n Shake, I think of a few things: late nights in college (it's open 24/7)... the fact that until recently it didn't take credit cards (and there may still be locations that don't)... the strikingly impressive black and red color scheme (retro yet not dated)... and the memorable trip to Springfield, Missouri in 1998 to broadcast a Southwest Missouri State basketball game. John Painter, then an SID (Sports Information Department) worker and I ended up there and later at one of the most redneck bars you could imagine. Good times.
I felt bad for my waiter. The place was mostly DEAD and I know he was making jack as a result. Plus the high schoolers were laughing and enjoying their youth. Did I mention that I feel old? At 9:40 squealing laughter came from the booth. Where are the Pinellas County truancy officers?
Then I got a closer look at the girls... two gorgeous blondes. The kind of girls that could get a guy like me in trouble. I turned my attention back to my pancakes.
There was a time when I could've finished those pancakes and ordered up more, but nowadays three pancakes are overkill. I couldn't finish the final third. I mean, I could've, but I was full so I didn't.
The blonde woman sitting in the next booth finished her meal and went to pay. She caught my eye and smiled at me as she walked past after going back to pay her tip. That's it, the hair stays for now.
I tipped my waiter $2 on a $2.84 bill. I felt sorry for the guy, and plus he tried hard.
As I was leaving, one of the high school blondes apparently had spilled something on the back of her jeans (don't ask me how that happened). It made me laugh, and I got eye contact and a smile going with the other hot blonde friend. Trouble with a capital T the size of Texas. I left the restaurant.
A few thoughts about Steak 'n Shake... They need napkins at the table. Not just one with your silverware; I want a dispenser. And another thing, those fries are cut way too small. It's a similar gripe I have with McDonald's fries, except worse. It's f-ing Steak 'n Shake, how about some steak fries?!? None of this shoestring fry business. And what's the deal with the peppers floating in the clear liquid that looks like formaldehyde. What, is tabasco sauce not good enough?
But despite those gripes, I like Steak 'n Shake. Awesome shakes. And good burgers. Of course I don't have either of those very much anymore, but it's there if I want it. And there's something to be said for that.
With the new schedule, my days feel considerably longer. Maybe it's because I'm not working at an absolutely sprint-style breakneck pace like I've become used to. Maybe it's the time difference. I'm not sure. But in producing those WTSP morning shows, you need every second you can get. That was even more true at WSAZ (since I did two hours by myself there). I have to go back to 1999 to find a time when I could work at a "normal" pace. Maybe that's why the 21-25 years for me have flown by incredibly fast.
It is nice to have free time during the day, though. I mean, I had it before, but I had to sleep then. And I like this going to sleep when it's dark thing. It's 7:04 PM EST as I type this line, and it's dark outside. No shades or masks or sleeping pills needed. I like that alot.
There's such a contrast to what I have going on now professionally. Very soon, dear reader, I'll be able to reveal all about what 2003 holds. But on one hand, there's the Kansas City Royals in September factor -- playing out the stretch. And on the other, there's the new opportunity... They say everything happens for a reason. Here's hoping in this case that's a true saying.
I hope my friends at WTSP won't be penalized or punished for being my friend. I've even joked with one friend in particular that we should stage a fight in the newsroom and that he should coldcock me and earn the admiration of those who want me gone (those with the power). I say "joked", and tomorrow I'll get a steel chair upside my head. Heh heh, all in a good day's work.
Congrats to my sister Mary Beth for making the finals of the St. Cecilia forensics tournament on Saturday. Good work! Also, here's hoping my bro Matt and the crew he's bringing down for a trip this weekend (Pounce, Slick, etc.) have a good time. This will likely be a lay-low weekend for me, preparing for the debauchery that will be the 2003 Gasparilla Night Parade in Ybor. Justin Smith is supposed to be in Orlando this weekend, so we might go see what we can round up there. There are some hot women in Orlando...
Ridiculous concept of the week -- Scott Massey and I were joking about the concept of having a foreskin implant. A reverse circumcision, if you will. Don't ask how that topic came about -- we jump around to subjects quicker than Tony Kornheiser and Mike Wilbon on Pardon The Interruption. I think if you had a tape recorder on our conversations, you could have enough material for one crazy book. I'm not talking personal stories, but like when we go off on a joking tangent. Ponkey.org to Casper the American Ghost to atomic dong to "didn't you e-mail me?" to a thousand other things (many too crass even for this rather open forum). Of course in print this reads more like a "senior class will" than a recipe for hilarity. But you'll have to trust me on this one.
For some reason, my website (in between all the NFL Mock Draft searches) has had quite a few hits for Alasondro Alegré in the past few days. Has MTV been showing "Sabotage" by the Beastie Boys alot lately or something?
I started with the Crest Whitestrips today. We'll see if they work. Matt and Mary Beth have both had favorable results with them. Perhaps I'll be pleased as well. Peroxide=ratings. My forearms are killing me still from Sunday's workout. Gotta ease my way back into the weightlifting routine, I suppose...
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