“$5.00 minimum purchase to use ATM please.” The lady behind the counter said, pointing to a sticker on the machine.
I had just thought I had scored an awesome deal at McHenry Bowl. 4 slices of pizza and a soda for a total of $2.50! Sounded like an awesome Labor Day lunch special. Sorry Charlie, not today.
What happened to life taking Visa?
This might sound like a rant, but it’s not, honest! This is just a little story to tell you about my experiences with food.
For us news photogs, or at least in my case, sometimes eating food seems to be a luxury we don’t have much time for. Because of our run-and-gun lifestyle, we’re always on the go. Sometimes having to work incidents for hours and hours on end, the screaming void known as our stomachs beg for anything to sustain us for a little while longer. So when we do get to eat, even the cheap 3 dollar meal at the fast food joint seems like a feast meant for kings.
One good example of this came during a tragic traffic accident at the Delta Mendota Canal, where several farm workers, all family, lost their lives. The incident had us working the scene for a good 8 hours or so. That plus the drive out there and back had me in a famine by the end of the day.
Luckily enough during the incident, one news photographer decided to run to a nearby convenience store (a good 6 or 7 miles away) to grab us all drinks to keep us going. The cool bottle of water on a hot summer day was just enough to give me a second wind.
Once I remember drinking a hot bottle of Gatorade where I was stuck at a standoff for a few hours. Sure sounds gross, but it was hydration so I welcomed it.
Sometimes I’ll chat with people and they will say “I had the biggest most delicious breakfast!” My response is “Breakfast? what’s that?”
I know, sounds like I’m complaining but I’m not, honest. But it is almost noon, so food is on my mind right about now. So with that being said, what’s for lunch?
Carlos Rodriguez