i drove eighty miles for a sandwich

And they got it wrong. I know, hard to believe, but true.

We went back to Santa Monica yesterday. We had gone earlier in the week but the shop was closed for the holiday. We were really disappointed, but determined. This time we were also smarter and called ahead to make sure they were open.

I should be back up for a second and point out that my Mom used to go to this deli all the time. She used to work down the block. She would bring up me home a sandwich every once in a while. Sometimes she used to stop in on her way home and pick up some pasta or variety of salads for dinner. A few times she brought me there to show me around. In addition to having a large deli case, it was also a gourmet Italian grocery store. The lines were long then, and they are long now.

It only took us a few minutes to find a parking space, and B dashed inside and grabbed a number. We were 33. They were on 12. Ouch. We decided to go later to avoid the lunch rush. But I guess two o'clock was still too early.

It seemed like things were moving fast, but it was about a half an hour before our number was finally called. There was a party of about six ahead of us, each with a very specific sandwich request.

B ordered their famous godmother, with vinegar and oil only. He got the works.

I ordered the special (which means you get to pick the main ingredients) with maple turkey and jack cheese. I asked for the works with mild peppers and mayo. I ended up with pepper jack, which I hate, and no mayo.

I picked off the cheese. It wasn't completely ruined, but still a bit of a disappointment. There was no place to sit, so we headed down the block and found a couple of chairs (they don't have benches in Santa Monica).

Back at the store I was a bit panicked. I just didn't like that there were so many people all crowded in one space. I wonder if I will ever feel okay in such situations. I didn't have a panic attack, but I was definitely cranky and had quite a hissy fit after we left. That probably didn't help with the overall sandwich situation.

But really I think it was the pepper jack. I remember when we lived in Austin. It was so hard to get a good sandwich. I remember stopping after work one day. I was tired and it was over 100 degrees and all I wanted was a sandwich. I got to the deli counter and knew I was in trouble when I asked if they made sandwiches and the woman tried to sell me on one of the premade ones that looked like it had been sitting there since noon.

But since they did make sandwiches she agreed. When I asked for jack cheese she spent over five minutes trying to find it. She said they had pepper jack and then a light when on in her head and she asked if I had meant Monterey Jack! Oh my. I forgot I wasn't in California anymore.

She then decided that so the sandwich wouldn't get soggy, she would put all the lettuce and tomatoes on the side and pack everything on a plate. This took another ten minutes. I think she was hoping I would never come back.

That sandwich was pretty bad too. Somehow despite all her handiwork, the sandwich indeed had gotten soggy. It was so hot I wasn't all that hungry anyway.


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