The Dinette Set by Julie Larson for November 19, 2011

At least I see the butterfly…

Good morning, all!

Mikie, I’m sorry that you lost your friend.

Either Burl is a part owner of Beef Hut or one of his relatives is. You don’t come by that business plan by accident.

Make it a Big fat beef with chili cheese fries and a diet soda.Burl’s watching his weight.

Look at all the free stuff the Penny’s get to take home. A napkin dispenser, salt and pepper shakers, and ketchup and mustard squeeze bottles.

Good morning to you, too, Marg — and the rest of the Crustwood breakfast club.

Do the Pennys actually live in Crustwood Heights?

Ah…. that explains it….

(cough)

Hmmm….. XS can mean “Xtra Small”…. but on Burl’s shirt it must mean “Excess”.

OddBall, I don’t think they take ALL that stuff every time … I mean, to be fair, they only take what they need.

Like tonight…. Joy plans to get the Super Fat BBQ, with extra sauce on the side…..

cos she needs one more cute little white ceramic pitcher to complete her set.

GymShoe — the GB w/OF is still faded. Oh dear.

Guess she hasn’t worn it enough times yet to get it back to its normal “patina.”

And I didn’t get back to Crustwood Friday in time to say glad you read my comment from the night before.

I don’t mind waiting if I don;t have wait more than 5 minutes for a beer. If I do, then I’m out of there.

A long wait AND condiment bottles on the table? What a classy place to take guests :-P

..it’s the wait that makes it worth the wait…

you think this is abnormal? go to the dining “opinion” websites and search some of Diners,DriveIns, & Dives customer inputs. i’ve gone to a couple,too—i.e.: doumar’s BBQ in norfolk, va, for one—cheap, disgusting food. it’s all just hype for a tv show.

I am sorry to hear that… I lived in Norfolk in the 70’s and 80’s and Doumar’s had great BBQ sandwiches, fresh limeade and home made ice cream cones. Maybe it’s changed.

YES…. Joy is wearing her green blouse… with orange flowers…. out to dinner…! ! ! Driving all the way to Crustwood Heights…..! ! !.I’d go there too is I could get an Italian Beef for $3.85…. Around here they are $6 ish….. I wonder how much for a beer…. ? ? ?.ONE more thing…. After ten minutes of silence…. Claude will be picking up the bill……

@dfowensby and Phil Beckman – Doumar’s USED to be a really good place to get a decent BBQ sandwich, but now the food there is absolutely nothing but slop. It’s just swimming in grease, and everything tastes sort of burnt or dirty or something — just a really weird under-tone of something that doesn’t belong in food. I’d not been there in awhile, but a few months back I had occasion to go down to the Southside, and stopped there, and I’m bloody sorry I did. Gave me the worst case of agita I’ve had in years. Breaks my heart, too, ‘cos I used to really enjoy a good BBQ sarnie! I don’t remember the homemade ice-cream or the limeade, but I’m sure they were wonderful, too. Pity, to see a great local place go down the tubes like that. I wonder if Robert Irvine could re-make it on his show Restaurant Impossible…

all’s well in burlworld

Okay fellow Crustwoodieans. Let’s be honest. I know we all know people who could be the Pennys and we try to avoid being around them when possible. However, as much as WE would not want to be labeled as one of them, we have all had a Pennys’ moment. Either knowingly doing something a little cheezy, not of our usual actions or an accidental faux pas, we have all been there at least once.

I am proposing that we come clean and everybody admit to having a moment or two. Write a little story here on what you (or someone you know) has done in a Penny action. And perhaps continue with the outcome of such actions.

I think it can be fun and we might get a laugh or two. How knows? If it were entertaining a enough, maybe Ms. Larson might include a version of it in her panel.

I will start one right here, exposing one of my own guilty Burl moments and how it panned out. Anyone want to follow next?

Honestly I am looking forward to what Susan, Marge, Leaky, and Gymshoe have to say.

All right, pausing a moment to take a few breaths, this is a Burl moment that I had:

I mentioned before that, in the 80’s I worked for a little while for a small paper down in Texas. This is more of a at work story than a newspaper story.

I was in my early 20’s and this was, I believe, in August. Our editor had a birthday and they were throwing a little celebration for him. The local area had a messenger service. For a small fee they would send someone to sing, dance, or act in a theme for the victim, er person of honor. Someone hired them to send a young women dressed as a Playboy Bunny. She showed up and sang Happy Birthday Marylin Monroe style. She finished the song by putting her arms around his neck and giving him a big kiss on the cheek.

I went back to my layout table and was back to work. The girl, still in her bunny get-up, came in and sat down at a nearby desk. She made a phone call and was waiting on a ride back.

She smiled politely at me and I smiled back. Then I had an Idea (my Burl moment) and thought I would give it a try. I pretended like I did not know why she was there. I asked her what she had been celebrating. She told me it was Mr. M—-‘s birthday. I raised my eyebrows in surprise and said, “I did not know we shared a birthday!”

She looked at me and said, “is it your birthday too?”

Looking down, shyly, I said, “well, yeah”.

She got up and walked over to me and said, “well, I think you deserve a kiss too!” She put her arms around my neck, planted a nice kiss on my cheek, and went back and sat. I thanked her and almost got away with it.

As soon as she sat down my co-worker who used a table next to mine came back in. She smiled politely at the guest and said hi.

Smiling the Bunny girl pointed at me and said, "did you know it’s his birthday too?"

My co-worker said, “Dave?” I sort of hung my head here with a guilty look, knowing I was just about to get busted out. She continued, “I thought you told me you were born in November!”

I was a bit embarrassed at getting busted The Bunny girl seemed to be a little embarrassed too, but she just gave me a side grin and shook her finger at me in a naughty-naughty fashion.

Fortunately, her ride showed up and she left so I didn’t get scolded too much. Okay, I was bad, but I have to admit I would do it again! It was worth it!

Who’s next?

Oh, I have some Penny ancestry, and even certain characteristics, that I don’t bother denying.

Dave, your little subterfuge isn’t too Burlish — he’d be more interested in her tips than her lips.

As for me — I don’t have a lot of money, so I do visit the Dollar Tree and Big Lots.

It’s very handy for a few foods, though I won’t eat most of what they sell, and for little goodies to put into gift bags for certain groups where they’re only funny tokens.

But I never try to fool anyone into thinking a $2 gift is something nice, or expect a real gift in return, or take what isn’t mine.

I also stock up on stuff like coffee and mayo at the Grocery Outlet, or on sale, but only good brands with good dates….

And I occasionally use fast food coupons, or go out for senior specials…..

Or eat an extra sample at Costco, mostly cos I’m chatty with the demonstrators (and, obviously, with everybody!) and they offer.

But I always say please and thank you, tip well, and leave the cutlery and salt shakers where they belong.

Meant to say, Dave — you’re practically a kid!

Early 20’s in the 80’s?

And GymShoe – around here more like $9.99 ….California is expensive….

That’s why I like coupons and senior specials!

I can’t find the butterfly. I wish someone would give it away today!

@ Scarlett- I’m about to go to bed. BF is one of the mis-shapen flowers on Joy’s blouse. @ Susan- I hope you provide Tony Rubino with a punch line for tomorrow’s Daddy’s Home.