eat local

Driving to Normal, Illinois is not one of the more exciting drives of the Midwest, unless you have a penchant for corn (or soybeans).  But when Canoelover Jr. needs a lift to Normal, you suck it up and go to Normal.

It’s 3 hours and 12 minutes from our house to Illinois State University, where Canoelover Jr. is attending a church camp thingy.  He loves it as he gets to meet other kids from all over the Midwest.  When I said kids, I mean female kids.  I think Canoelover Jr. has a bit of a following.  It’s sweet and innocent, but it’s a following nonetheless.

Driving back from Normal, I decided to take a little slower pace.  The corn looks the same going fast or slow, and my truck gets better mileage at 62 than anywhere else.  Let the black Esplanades scream by me at 78 mph, I’m just enjoying the internal scenery.

But as time passed, I became a bit peckish.  One of the things I hate about traveling without my own food is the complete paucity of decent road food anywhere near an interstate.  Every exit has a Cracker Barrel, McDonalds, Waffle House (in the south anyway) and some other generic soulless food.

Coming up on the exit for the hamlet of Oglesby, Illinois, I found the standard restaurants…and Moore’s Root Beer Stand.

I exited immediately.

I passed the generic stuff, and to my surprise (and liking), there were only a handful of cars in the parking lots.  A half-mile down the road, a block off Main Street was this little drive-in, obviously a former A&W.  My grandfather called A&W “Ask and Wait.”  Good reason.  You can’t be in a hurry.  This is slow fast food.

I experienced a wave of nostalgia as I pulled in to the one remaining spot.  This made me feel good, as the giant corporate mega-chain restaurants were not patronized by the townspeople.  This was clearly the place to be.

I pushed the button.  I waited 30 seconds.  Wondered if I should push it again.  Then the crackly voice ask to take my order.  I ordered a hamburger platter (hamburger, fries, and a salad (!)), plus a root beer in a frosty mug.   Then I wondered about as I knew it would be a while.

Yep.  Packed.

Fifteen minutes later, this young lady brought me my meal.  Student at Illinois State.  Nice young lady.  I tipped her heavily.

Yes, that is a salad.

Good stuff.

There’s a certain satisfaction in finding places like this.  I love the $6.50 bill and the $3.50 tip.  I love the people who walk around from car to car talking to each other.  I love that I can walk around and join them and it’s totally cool.  I love the sense of community that exists in an old drive-in in a small central Illinois town.  They get it.

I wish more people got it.

Respectfully submitted,

Canoelover

P.S. Nice haircut, Papa.