Bacon, Egg and Cheese
Bacon, Egg and Cheese on a roll. photo - Sue Roberts
“Bacon, egg and cheese please”
Brian starts to assemble my order with a sense of familiarity; a fluidity.
How many of these has he made already today?
The B.E.C. or, sometimes, the H.E.C.: Ham, egg and cheese, a classic breakfast sandwich and THE staple for all hangovers after a night out in NYC.
Kaiser roll. Fried egg. Crispy, crispy bacon. American cheese.
While the griddle sizzles, my hands start to shake.
My insides churn, desperate for sustenance. Something please to soak up the alcohol.
Feebly, I murmur: “Coffee. Regular. Please.”
Glaring from behind my dark sunglasses that so far have protected me from the harsh lights, I watch as he first generously scoops the sugar, then squirts two shots of pale blue milk into the cup. Finally, he pours the steaming black silk into a paper cup emblazoned with blue greek keys.
Why the hell, do all the delis in NYC have the exact same paper cups? Somewhere there is a very wealthy Greek paper cup manufacturer…
I watch as he methodically snaps the plastic lid on.
Yep. Probably better to wait until I’m back upstairs. Just in case.
I spy a neon orange Gatorade in the fridge across from me and motion towards it.
My head is throbbing… my eyeballs hurt. Each step takes extra effort, extra concentration.
I pull the cold drink from the cooler and immediately condensation forms around its neck.
It’s going to be so hot today.
I weakly twist the top and with a loud crackle the lid unsnaps from the plastic ring. Even this requires me to pause.
What the hell did we drink last night?
I remember pitchers of margaritas when the waiters came to prepare the guacamole at our table using a pestle and mortar, chopping each and every ingredient fresh in front of us.
Was that all I ate? Guac and chips?? No wait…
Then I think there were beers after the quesadillas. Then another margarita maybe?
Then a cab. Lizzie ordered a fishbowl drink and more beer.
Someone bought shots. Tequilas. Two rounds.
Did I get up on the bar???
The sugary drink greets my lips and my tongue is immediately grateful for the relief. But I wince with each sip.
This drink is way too sweet. Blech…
Electrolytes.
Drink it.
I shuffle back towards the deli counter, praying that my lifeline is ready. That I can grab the white paper bag and head upstairs. To my bed. To recover from last night and all those drinks. Into the air conditioning. Where I can hide. Until tonight.
Oh crap… drinks, tonight...
The prompt from The Red Dress Club was to write about “about gluttony – eating and drinking to excess. ” With a word limit of 600.
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This? Was pure fun! I loved reading about your night, your drinks, your “after.”
You described the eyes, the headache, the “oh crap” feeling perfectly!
And for the record: This may, or may not, resonate!
XO
Galit Breen recently posted..The Red Dress Club- A Fight
Thank you Galit!
Why the hell do all delis in NYC have those cups?? And why can’t we have them here in MPLS?? Huh?
Great description of JUST what the doctor ordered after “fishbowl” drinks.
MommyLisa recently posted..A picture is worth a thousand words
Apparently you can buy ceramic ones like that (according to MommyShorts!)
Drink it…. man, I know that feeling
Brutal, right?
“Did I get up on the bar???” Oh man, how many nights did I ask myself this SAME question!! I had to laugh. Several of your questions and I have had dates the next morning. Have we met? LOL.
One question, at the end, “Oh crap.” After a night like that? Just wondered if a more harsh word might be used in that moment. Just a thought.
Painful morning!! Well done.
With the exception of the bacon that sounds like a very tasty sandwich
Carrie recently posted..Red Writing Hood-Table Talk- The ‘telling
Don’t think of it as a sandwich, think of it as medicine.
As always, incredibly well-written. I love how the memories of the night came back as you purchased your hangover cure. Wanted to know a bit more. Maybe something after dancing on the bar? Just one more juicy thing.
Also, I have ceramic versions of those greek paper cups.
Ilana recently posted..Broken Blogs- Office Bathrooms- & Roadkill
Good point about a juicy deet. Wonder what I would have added…. I think I could write a whole post about those cups. There is a history there after all!
Ooooh…sounds like a night at Rosa Mexicana! I *might* have had a few nights like that when I lived (and then visited) NYC!
I *might* have been there. *maybe*
While reading this I felt like I was reading a novel. One day I hope that’s a goal of yours!
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