Magazines and newspapers are forever telling us that fast food is unhealthy.  John and I rarely go to those places, but we were traveling and wanted a quick meal.  I have to admit that I like all the fast food places and sometimes crave a good hamburger that I didn’t cook myself.  Up till now, I thought I could get away with an occasional indulgence.  I won’t say which chain we went to, but the sign said they are known for their burgers and shakes.  My question is, are they known for good ones or bad ones?  You be the judge.

John unwrapped his hamburger before I did, and the first thing I noticed was fat dripping down onto the wrapper.  He has been avoiding beef since the insertion of a stent, and this had to be the worst thing he could have eaten.  He knew it and said so.  I looked around at the other customers.  They were all of advanced age, well advanced.  We might have been the youngest ones there, and we are not spring chickens.  We are more like dead-of-winter chickens.  A man with a cane approached the counter, accompanied by his gray-haired wife.  They hadn’t even ordered when he keeled over onto the floor, breaking his glasses.  Can you imagine an eatery so bad that just thinking of ordering would do you in?

Young people rushed to the old man’s aid.  They picked up the pieces of his glasses and hoisted him onto a chair.  A teenager behind the counter tossed a cup to a coworker near us, and she filled it with water at the drink station.  Do you suppose they were good at this rescue because they had a lot of practice???

The old couple pulled themselves together and hobbled out.  He was probably too shaken to think of eating.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he learned his lesson and will never go back to that place.  This dramatic warning did not faze us, not in the least.  We calmly finished our burgers and fries, licked our fingers, sucked on our shakes, and toddled out.  Does anyone have an antidote for nightmares?  I have a feeling we should have one handy.