When going to McDonalds what I expect is the same tasting mediocre burger I’ve been eating for years, a drink, and some of the best tasting melt in your mouth fries that the world has to offer. Being here so early made me crave the taste of savory pancakes, sausage, and maple syrup instead. Adding a hash brown and ketchup on the McGriddle makes it an entire breakfast on the go. I didn’t even realize Japanese Mcdonalds had the magical sandwich so I was glad my family decided to eat at Mcdonalds despite the abundance of them in Tacoma.
If I could wake up every day to sliding doors opening to the smell of sausage and pancakes and see cute groups of girls everyday I think It’d be a pretty happy life. Looking at them in their matching sweatsuits made me think of the time when I would eat with sports teams. The lacrosse sticks slung around their backs made me think of all the fun memories that transpired in the double arched establishment. They had to be in High School from the looks of it.
You’re way too old to be looking at high school girls now, you allowed
those moments of your life to pass you by.
My mom
who was always “stuck in first gear” walked in late and immediately made an excited smile.
“look Marco Lacrosse” she said in a voice audible enough for most people in the lobby to hear. One of girls turned around and looked surprised, looking down I’d realized that I was sporting my seven year old lacrosse sweatshirt from high school. My mom looked over and stood directly between me and the group of girls, who were now all looking in our direction. Not knowing what to say she simply pointed to the lacrosse sticks and then my sweatshirt. After this happened enough times to be awkward I made the switch to Japanese mentally.
“高校生の時やった大学生の時やりたかったですが (I played in highschool I wanted to in college, but). . . not knowing the word for knee injury I simply made the gesture of a hurt knee and said “足” leg. Having explained the situation I found myself talking to a group of girls. It was strange because it was a group of three girls that looked excited to talk to me. . . that doesn’t happen to people like me. I was relieved to find out, once again the girls were in college and not highschool. Just as soon as it began it was over as the girls remembered they had to rush and catch a train.
Feeling great from the small conversation I was able to make, the McGriddle was the best tasting one I’ve ever had in my life. After peak experiences the rest of life seemed less colorful than it had been before. Things like this were often just a flash in the pan I thought as the day seemed to fly by with my mind stuck in the same place it was at eight in the morning.
Lightning Strikes Twice
The sky had turned dark and I was returning from parking the car still pondering the morning conversation. . .
well I should’ve asked for one of their social media accounts or something . . . unless that’s creepy. . . is that creepy? Well nothing can be done about it now.
My dad who had waited till I got back before going to the bathroom wasn’t there, but for some reason there was a group of three people outside waiting for me.
“Marco She Plays Lacrosse, she might be one of the girls from this morning said my mom”
Internally alarms were blaring and all command officers were face palming at my moms repeated harassment of random Japanese people. But I started to talk to the cute girl positioned at the end of the group. The combination of moonlight, warm tungsten, and led lighting made me feel like the world had dropped out from beneath my feet and it was only just the two of us talking. What amazed me was that she wasn’t even trying to look her best, she’d just come from Lacrosse Club and only had slight if any makeup on. . . For me I thought real beauty came from the lack or slight application of all the cake and fake. She was so real in a world that had become so fake and filtered.
I Was A Little Disappointed
when my dad came hobbling back to the group. I was rarely disappointed to see my dad return, even when he makes a scene it’s pretty entertaining when given time and distance to reflect on things. My dad in very direct baby boomer style frankly said
“Who’s this?” pointing to the girl that I couldn’t take my gaze off of. The striking realization that I never asked for her name made me embarrassed, but I said what I knew she was a Lacrosse Player from the Local University she wasn’t one of the girls from this morning, but apparently she had heard about me.
As my dad signaled that he wanted to go inside and start eating I couldn’t help feel the earth fly towards my feet, but when I started walking I looked to my left and she was still there.
I thought my flying would burn to crashing
my happiness is fleeting with you it’s lasting
I’m floating, soaring, gliding with just a glimpse
If I blinked I might have missed, real rare like an eclipse
I was Praying
In my heart I was silently hoping that she would take a seat somewhere close to us. My soul sparkled when she had took the seat diagonally to me. Her friend came, probably for the better as it makes these kinds of situations less awkward, as we chatted my dad almost demanded her recommendation on what to eat. I’d had expected her to shy away from him but the way she confidently flipped through the menu and pointed to the thing she recommended had me under a spell. I didn’t realize it then, but looking back at it now I think I was staring in her direction for a long portion of that night.
After chatting, sharing laughs, and eating together we shared one more thing a group selfie, which gave me a good chance to ask for a social media profile. At first she suggested twitter, which I heavily opposed due to my twitter being nothing but bitching(my own of course), gaming content, and anime stuff. . . best let her know the weird things one step at a time right? We eventually settled into exchanging line information, so I guess I still have never gotten a girl’s number yet.
What made the rest of my night was seeing her eat spicy ramen no problem and watching my dad struggle to do the same. . . there was something ironic and light hearted about that.
