A Dream Shattered

When I joined the Navy, it had just become the "All Volunteer" Navy. They had raised the pay for enlistees, a lot. It still wasn't shit. I'm not complaining. I knew what it was when I signed up. I'm just saying how it was. How it probably still is. Married guys did better, especially with kids. They were really trying to attract family men and change the public's image of those in the Armed Forces. It was still tough, even for those guys. Inflation was rampant and prices went up every time you turned around.

It was during those years that I started going to Long John Silver's Fish and Chips. Whenever I was hanging out with my married shipmates and going off base for a meal with their family, there was a good chance it would be to a Long John Silvers. It was about the only place at the appropriate price point that wasn't sandwiches. I ate at a lot of Long John Silver's. A person misses family time when they're in the Navy, even someone like me. I had good times eating greasy fish and chips at Long John Silver's. I get a warm feeling when I go in one, even today. It helps that they haven't built a new one or renovated the old ones in thirty years, so they all look just the same as they did then, only even seedier and with more cockroaches. I still like to go there sometimes, even though the closest one is several miles from my house.

They have a big TV ad campaign right now. You get two crunchy breaded fish with fries and hush puppies for $3.99. How can you beat that?

So I convince the old Lady to go with me. It's not that easy. LJS doesn't give her any warm, fuzzy feeling. We drive over there, even have to go a couple miles on the freeway.

They don't have the special on the menu and deny any knowledge of the TV ad. I have to pay a dollar more and all I get for it is a scoop of their runny, guaranteed diarrhea inducing coleslaw.

Fuck it.