The other day, I was on MSNger with G.
G is an old friend from home. We don't see each other much as he is now in Alberta, but I digress.
Anyway, he asked me if I was coming home anytime for the summer, a question posed every year, and never answered well enough I've been told. I didn't have an answer for him, but said I would like to. As I said, never answered well enough. He said he would like to see me and that we would have a good time, but if I came home I would have to do him a small favour.
"What is that?" I asked.
"Bring me some Jamaican beef patties," he responded without skipping a beat. "I miss the beef patties."
This caught me by surprise. How could one miss beef patties? They aren't exactly the foie gras of convenience foods. They are greasy, messy and the stuffing reminds me of cat food.
All I could say was, "Sure."
How could I say anything else? A friend made a request. A request that wouldn't be that hard to fulfill, even if the slim opportunity of going home happened.
But it stuck with me. Why Jamaican beef patties? What was the big deal?
A couple days later, I came home and opened the fridge. One of the roomies had placed a small bag containing, low and behold, 2 beef patties on the centre shelf. This generally wouldn't concern me, but after fixating on these little yellow baked snacks for a couple of days, the coincidence shocked me.
What the hell were they doing here?
"What the hell is with the patties?" I inquired as I shut the door.
"It was late. I was hungry. The only thing open was the Coffee Time," he called back from his roost on the couch.
This made sense. He likes his late night snacking. It goes very well with his other habit. Everything is fine in the world.
I took a couple of steps further into my day, when it hit me. You can buy beef patties at Coffee Time. There are about 300 Coffee Times in the world, mostly in Ontario. They sell beef patties.
Actually, if you think about it, which I obviously have, you can find a beef patty (or chicken or veg) at almost any time of the day.
Have you noticed?
Coffee Times, Supermarkets (by the box) , Mom and Pop grocery store (how many of them have one of those little ovens on the counter?), bakeries, Caribbean take aways. The list is almost endless.
You can get a beef patty almost anywhere in this city. They have become the ubiquitous snack food of Toronto. I am not sure why or how, but it worries me a little.
Oh, and happy b-day, L!
5 comments:
I don't think I understand your worry... sure beef patties are not good for you (healthwise) but they're tasty and helpful to cultural understanding so I don't see the problem.
:)
my first jamaican beef patty was like a little taste of god.
also, you have too many thoughts.
Being one of the 'Islaand peepal, mon' I have a cultural affinity with the beef patty, but their is something going on. Something worrisome. I can feel it.
How could anyone ever have too many thoughts?
I think the cult of Paris Hilton needs to be stopped.
When I finally emerged from my post-chicago slumber and hazily stumbled down the stairs to eat this morning, I opened a white paper bag that was sitting on the shelf in the refridgerator.
It was a beef patty.
Weird.
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