Do you remember when you were a little girl or boy, and you were out with your mom or dad and you asked for fast food, and your mom or dad said, “We have food at home.”? There might have been food at home, but it didn’t taste the same or was not prepared the same as a Big Mac or those golden fries from the place with the golden arches. Often, we got a boiled hot dog with a piece of white bread folded around the hot dog. As for the condiments, ketchup was the popular one in our cabinet, and it was a treat if there was also mustard and relish. That white bread that stuck to the roof of your mouth was also used for the “we have food at home” hamburger. My mother would fry the hamburger in a skillet, and that hot, greasy hamburger would be placed between two pieces of white bread, and maybe you would get a slice of American cheese, making it a cheeseburger. Yes, we did have food at home, but we didn’t get a prize with it, or maybe we did. By not eating out all of the time, my parents saved money and were able to provide us with a lovely home and brand-new cars to ride in. We had nice clothes, and sometimes we would go on vacation. Vacations were the time for store bought treats, but I remember the time when we left Pittsburgh for our annual trip to Richmond, VA, and we forgot that picnic basket full of fried chicken, deviled eggs, and potato salad. When we realized it was forgotten, we were already in Breezewood and had to turn around and retrieve it. At that time, we were not permitted to eat at the restaurants on the turnpike. The other day I wanted some fast food, and then I remembered how much money I had just spent at the grocery store. I passed the golden arches and told myself, “Girl, you have food at home.”
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