I want to paint a picture for you. You wake up, it’s a beautiful, cool fall morning. All is going well – you’re on time today. The crisp bite in the air is invigorating. It’s going to be a good day. You back out of the drive as the warm morning sun slowly climbs over the trees. The wipers are clearing off the tiniest hint of a frost from the windshield. The feel of the morning is one that truly can’t be explained, but must be experienced. It’s that type of day.
It’s time for breakfast. Your teenager is very finicky about what he eats in the morning, so you stop at your favorite donut shop on the way to drop him at school. You get in line and pull to the window when it’s your turn. The owner greets you with, “Hi, good morning, two jalapeño kolache and two chocolate milk?” “Yes ma’am, the usual please!” A few moments later your two bottles of Borden’s are handed out followed by a steaming hot bag full of culinary goodness. As you let off the brake and begin to drive away you hear, “Have a good day! Don’t work too hard!”. “Thank you ma’am! You as well!” Such a nice lady – always with a smile.
You hit a little morning traffic. Nothing too bad and it’s only a brief wait. It does give time for your son to cool off his kolache. By the time you’re at school, he’s downed his breakfast in three large bites. As he gets out and grabs his overly stuffed book bag and basketball bag, you hand his still unopened chocolate milk to him through the open door and say your goodbyes for the day.
Time to turn up the volume and enjoy the morning commute. With the window slightly cracked to let in that cool fresh air, that jalapeño kolache is whispering your name. Steam still rising from the bag. On the radio you hear those first few piano notes of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believing. You take that first bite and it’s just what you needed to complete the morning. That savory, succulent combination of soft homemade bread with the spice of the cheese and sausage creates the perfect balance for any Louisiana breakfast. You finish off your breakfast as Steve Perry is fading away with “hold on to that feeling”. Indeed.
Then, faster than Road Runner can speed by with a quick “beep, beep”, it happens. Your entire morning, and even day, maybe your life, is forever changed. As you open that bottle of Borden’s, ready to wash down the last remaining bits of spice, Steve Perry belts out “Who’s crying now?” Foreboding at its best. You gulp down at least half, as the sweet, refreshing flavor flows down taking the last remnants of spice with it. Then, as your taste buds slowly catch up, you know immediately that something is wrong. Something is bad wrong. What should have been the most satisfying ending to your breakfast, turns in to horror as you feel the few remaining clumps of rancid, congealed milk on your tongue. You’re left with nothing but the pungent, sour-sweet, rotten taste of spoiled chocolate milk. The cool air turns hot. The radio goes silent. You don’t know where you are, or what to do. There is no recourse. You have no option but to keep driving; trying to hold it in. Your perfect morning is ruined. You’ll never look at chocolate milk the same.
And that, my friends, is how my day started.
#inowhatesteveperry #clumpsinmilkisntnormal #istilltasteit #itsbeen3hours #neveragain #alwayscheckthedate #smellyourmilk #gulpingisntgood
