Celebration

Monday the last of our family pod was fully vaccinated. Tuesday we went out to celebrate. The weather was lovely and we fancied eating outside. We remembered there was a picnic table in front of Pepperjacks, a family favorite for subs and enormous portions of fries. (Don’t ever order the “bucket” unless you bring a team of committed eaters.)

When we arrived we discovered that Pepperjacks had created a new outdoor eating area.

 

We went inside (yes , we were masked and so were employees) and placed our orders. Then we went outside to enjoy the gorgeous weather.

We had come a bit on the early side so we had the outdoor patio to ourselves. While we were there a steady stream of customers came to pick up takeaway orders. 

Just the feeling of being outdoors, away from home - - no masks- - on a lovely spring evening was delicious, if a bit strange. It felt like the world in which this was normal was a long, long time ago.

I’m not sure how long the outdoor eating area has been open at Pepperjacks but I hope more people take advantage of it as the season progresses. 

Enjoying our food as soon as it was cooked was a thrill after more than a year of takeaway orders. And, wow, were those fries ever hot! It may be hard to see in the photo but I indulged in my first root beer float of the season, while my daughter had an orange creamsicle float.

I probably imagined all sorts of fancy restaurants during the long days of quarantine, fantasizing about a time when it would be safe enough to return. And those visits are coming soon enough. But I am so grateful for Tuesday night at Pepperjacks: the warm, gentle breeze on my skin and a feeling of hope. 

I think I may remember it for the rest of my life.