Original Tommy's; Simply the Best

Happy 64th

Tommy’s. Its her 64^th Birthday. Been forgoing the fast food kick for awhile. Fish and chicken, but today I learned it’s the birthday of the Best Hamburger Place in the Universe. It artery clogging. Terrible for your cholesterol. Probably the primary reason for obesity in Southern California. However, it must be done.

Yummm, (Drool, Slobber, Drool)

Tommy’s has been Food Channel. ABC, NBC, LA Times, and just about everywhere. It is an institution. Yellow and white tissue paper wrapper to soak up the grease from the heavenly chili. Beefsteak tomatoes slices. Quarter-sized dill pickle. Chopped onions atop a slice of a just cooked 100% ground beef—fresh, never frozen patty. Dressed in mustard  and sandwiched in fresh daily delivered buns. Just heaven on earth. http://www.originaltommys.com/

Nothing Better

There are other ingredients that can be added, like lettuce, and 1000 island dressing, but why add on perfection?

Not too many things, can compare. Sure, I like Inn-N-Out Double-Double animal style. Pink’s dogs are okay. Also, like BJ’s pizzookie, however, nothing really compares to the memories I have with the Original Tommy’s.

Stars Eat, Too

Driving to Rampart in downtown LA. Waiting in lines that surround “The Shack” two times over. (Sorry, Pinks got you beat line-wise. Food, Original Tommy's are the Lakers. Pinks you are the Clippers) Watching families in the Dodge Windstars barrel out of their van to get a dog and in soda. Minute Maid in the can. Pepsi, Diet Pepsi, Orange Crush in the lying down freezer. Two areas of attack. One on the corner and the other in the back. Parking lot filled. People of note come here. Saw Lawrence Fishbourne driving his convertible corvette one night. Through the years, saw a few Dodgers and Laker players drive in and out carrying the cardboard boxes filled with chili dogs and fries.

Tamms and Brad

There were those nights driving to Roscoe on a Tommy’s run. It was those nights driving with family and friends at 1 and 2 in the morning after a late night drinking and dancing. It was meeting Tammy and Jason late at night. Driving with Brad and Rinnes on those nights with the moon roof open and night filled with Air Supply singing. It was just drive from Palmdale to the Valley. It was freedom and life.

Dad

It was times with Dad. After leaving Ambassador Hotel to get a bite. It was standing by the wall, grabbing a napkin from the side dispensers. It was enjoying the time with family and friend. Just feeling proud and happy with Hamburger delight. It was a place where no matter what happened in the world, things were going to be alright.

Times have changed. Life needed to move on. Don’t go to Tommy’s as much.  Nope, not the same regularity. 

Thank goodness. Arteries couldn't take it.

Nothing like the Original

I mean I’ve hit places like Valencia and in Van Nuys. Seen Tommy’s the Northridge Mall, but it wasn’t quite the same.  Burbank is okay. It has that city-fied field. Kind of. It became commercialized. It became trendy. It became not of the same great memories. Maybe it was me and I was going through a phase. They opened an Original Tommy’s 20 minutes from home, but if you asked which would I rather go: Rampart, Roscoe, or Rancho Vista. Rancho Vista and Roscoe, Sorry. 

Rampart hands down.

 

Danger, Will Robinson, Danger

Rancho Vista is cleaner. It’s fresher looking. It newer. Roscoe has the Budweiser brewery across the street. Rampart and Beverly, all others can't compare. There was a sense of danger being in Downtown. Black and whites rolling up.Movie stars and professional athletes. Coziness of  "The Shack" Grade School cafeteria napkins. The chest style freezers filled with Hawaiian Punch and A&W Root Beer in the can. Yes, with the sliding doors. You are so close to the food that you can reach over and flip the burger yourself. "Hamburger, Hamburger, and Cheese,"--Those words were magical to me. Staff were so close in the Shack that one can charge $20 for a lap dance.

Ambiance

However, the memory investment has to go back to the classic. 64 years at the same place. Get a free burger when you stop in and say happy birthday, Tommy's. Shack can't compare. The tiny parking lot. The waiting in lines. Standing shoulder to shoulder with rock stars and regulars. Wiping off the secret recipe chili off my face, my shirt, my shoes--Just Heaven. 

Right Company is Important

Sure, I’ve taken family and friends on Tommy’s run. It was never quite the same. If you asked me would I rather go friends and family or by myself. I think I rather go alone. It is a place special to me. It is a place where my Dad took me after a long comic convention day. It is where Tammy lived close to. It was where Brad and I sang the night away. They are not close anymore, but I miss them dearly. Tommy's is a place where I can be alone with them.

Some places are special. Churches, mission, graveyards they have an emotional investment that can’t be measured. Not comparing Tommy’s with other fast food with these sacred places. However, the Original Tommy’s has a special place in my heart.Tommy's, Thank you for being there for me and my Dad. Thanks for sharing those many magical moments. Thank you letting me remember a happier time. Happy 64th Birthday, Tommy's. Thank you for the memories.

Desert

Going to Da-Ville. Going to get some gas. Spending the night at 92392. Used to live in the Daville when I first moved out. Moved with my baby’s mom. Found out some things about myself.

Gas: Follow Directions

Some people. Putting gas, one must follow the directions.  The nozzle goes into the hole. However, before putting in the hole. One must open the gas cover first. Then put in the nozzle. Sorry, I thought it was clear. Guess the picture on the screen was not that clear. Hmmmm, remove nozzle, Push grade of fuel. Squeeze handle until no more gas is transferred. Return nozzle to dispenser. Close gas cover.

Angry Switch

One thing I learned is that people go at different pace. I will admit that I am one of them. Its hard at times to be a little sarcastic. Not for me I can be sarcastic at the flip of a switch. At times, I feel like Bruce Banner. Ed Norton played him last movie. Eric Bana before him. Before him Bill Bixby. “You won’t like when you get me angry.”

Need Perspective

Being Victorville I found out some ugly things about myself. Stuff, that I am not very proud of. Never hit someone out of anger in a long time. Broke some furniture. Put some holes in the walls. Learned that an onslaught of angry, unprovoked, unwarranted attacks burns my hide. Learned firsthand displaced anger and transference. Took some time to let someone’s anger wash over me and that I didn’t need to own it.

Nothing Else, but Listen

Something about living in a desert. There is something basic. Some thing about being alone with the Joshua trees and tumbleweeds. A good time for introspection. Time to listen to the voices in your head. You hear what is bothering and what makes you happy. You are away from the tv, radio, and endless chatter. It forces you to listen to your voice, your inner voice. You walk and think. You hear the lessons your parents and grandparents give you. You hear their words of wisdom and then apply to your own situation.

Survive

Being in the introspective. Getting that distance you get to see the big picture. Driving and leaving in the desert you realize what basic things you need. Not the baggage of stuff to weigh you down. You need food, water, air, family, friends.

Others Before

Many historical and religious figures had spent a many nights in the desert. INRI spent forty days tempted by the fallen one. The Prophet also spent time with Kadija in the desert. The chosen one spent 40 years roaming.

Read in a book on writing the symbolism of arid land. “Coming out of the desert. . .” the weary traveler was stronger, wiser, more devoted. Dune. Wrath of Khan. Reaching, I know. Sorry.

Truths Revealed

Spending time in the desert we learn many a things. At times, ugly. At times, more beautiful. At times, you make friends with a Joshua tree.  Truth is. . .there are things to learn in the place where you at. At the beach, I get recharged. Re-invigorated. When I go to the city, my explorative instincts turn high. When I farmers market or museum, I spend hours just marveling the creations people produce. All an expression. When I desert? I get down to basics. I take time to reflect. I take time to take in the lessons learned.

Night, Night Now

Well, last night’s adventure and this morning early departure got me on low. Eyelids are heavy. Breakfast is taking the energy from the gray matter and turning on the Alpha adrenergic receptors of Renal Cutaneous and Gastrointestinal tract. Blood has to go where its needed most. Write you later. 

LV: Observations

Driving home. Sun is to my left. Passing McCarran. Its been a few days.  Russell and Jewel got married. Spent a couple hours getting lost around Las Vegas. Drove around city. Went to Hoover, Sapphire, and downtown. Saw hookers, strippers, pimps, crack pipes, pirate ships, waterfalls, pyramids, monkey gods, and statue liberty. Ate rice, krispy kremes, prime rib, and snow crabs. Flew in a helicopter. Walked up and down stairs all day. Pushed a baby cart for a couple of miles. Watched airplane lands. Saw the Celtics win. 

Told a stripper that I am not getting a lap dance because I’m thinking about being a priest. She said I don’t believe you. Then I pulled a vocation for priesthood recruitment card. She kept my card. Maybe she will go to church. Who knows? It took me congestive heart failure to get me to the church. Maybe this card will help her.She will probably thinks I am jerk, Don't blame her. 

Things we do for family. Made a promise to his Mom, my Aunt, to get him home and to the wedding at reasonable time. Sorry. $500 VIP room sounds fun, but not getting Chris to the chapel ain't worth it. Designated adult at times mean no screwdrivers or greyhounds. Just cranberry juice and OJ, thank you.

Now we journey back home. Took many pictures. Met many people. Watched a lot of things. Good, bad, and troubling. Had some heart to heart talks. Laughed with 2 year old. Saw my brother smile. We had a photographer give me a look about not smiling. We were taking wedding pics. I thought she was looking at someone else. She then indicated at me. We were taking a group picture. I called her a “Bitch”. My Brother said, “Go, Suck D. . . well, you get the picture.” I was smiling then. Everyone else was cracking up. She didn’t even have the camera up to her face. Bitch. I know I took better pictures then she did. She was not even on time for taking pictures. F. . . her.

It was it is. Some exquisite sites. Marveled at the magnificent engineering. Waterfalls and gondolas. Pyramids and $1000 mont blanc pens. Homeless people on the sidewalk. Crack addicts falling me in the parking lot. Russian and Asian exotic dancers asking for a private room. Drank OJ and cranberry juice at the Sapphire. Rode in a limousine and a tram.

Took so many pictures I used up all the camera battery juice. Finally made a page for Facebook. Met Russell neighbor whose girlfriend lives in Long Beach. He drove 8 hours. Whew. Victorville to Long Beach to Las Vegas to Victorville back to Long Beach. One Day. That’s an adventure.

Heard of fist fights and angry words. Heard children laughter and enjoyed a fifteen minute water massage. (Wear ear plugs) Had prime rib at 11:30 pm. Forgot to wash the conditioner out of my hair. Its drying still. 

Let someone wear my dress pants so he can get into the Gentlemen’s club. He was wearing sandals and plaid shorts. Not a good idea. NOT GOOD, at all. TERRIBLE. Lounging at the sapphire I told him I would be UPSET if my pants get stained. F___ker got a lap dance. His first lap dance. My pants had glitter and (I think smelled of peach/ bubble gum lotion) I am guessing. I didn’t want to check very closely. My clothes smelled of bubble gum. Well, got to brunch at Whiskey Petes.