It is the second part of the addenda in this special Saturday post. As I have been mentioning since the introduction, here, I have been eating out at a lot of different places. This part of the addenda highlights a number of spots I've only been to once, particularly in places where I've only ever been to once. Unlike part one from Wednesday, some of these locations I actually had food at. Let's begin this final chapter.
- [Pikeville High School, but not really, see post, ?: In my senior year of high school, I got to play at the premier 'All A' basketball tournament that winter. While I had to ride with the rest of the band to the game, I got to ride with my mom on the way home. She had gotten a cup of pop for me after the game, but she didn't get it at the game. The most likely place she gotten it would be the Pikeville Super America/Speedway, but it almost could have been from any convenience store between Prestonsburg and Pikeville. The pop was a little flat, but still cold with ice cubes by the time we got to the car, so that clue doesn't help. While the school got hit by the recent flooding, it was only closed a short time before reopening.]
- [Various convenience stores, Fleming-Neon, TO: From the late 70s to the mid-80s, we used to go to Neon frequently. While it was mostly just a stopover on the way to places like Whitesburg or Virginia, sometimes it was just to go there. Neon did have a small variety of stores for some time. What they didn't have was many places to eat. Usually, we would just not eat or eat at a later destination. That wasn't always the case. Neon had a dairy bar, but I don't think I ever ate there. One what was probably one of our last trips just to Neon, I had gotten hungry, so we stopped at one mart. Their fountain machine was down, and I didn't like to just grab a can or bottle. We skipped a second mart, as I didn't like its looks. I finally got something at one mart at the junction on the way to Isom. On my most recent trip to Norton, where I was looking for some of my missing comic books, I went through Neon. The dairy bar was long since closed. I'm not sure of the convenience marts, but I am pretty sure at least one had closed. I thought the one on the way to Isom had been closed, but there were vehicles there, meaning at least something was open, if not a convenience store. {Speaking of fountain drinks, here are some of my favorite flavor options. For Coke only: I skip them. Don't like any Coke products. For Coke + Dr Pepper: Dr Pepper mixed with water and/or Diet Dr Pepper. For Pepsi only: Pepsi mixed with some or all of the following: water, Diet Pepsi, splash of Starry/Mountain Dew, splash of root beer. If Wild Cherry is available, I add it instead and skip the last two. For Pepsi + Dr Pepper, Dr Pepper with some or all of the following: water, Diet Dr Pepper, Pepsi, splash of root beer or Wild Cherry Pepsi. I never add citrus flavors to Dr Pepper. If Dr Pepper flavors are available: Cherry/Vanilla or Cherry. I don't like Cream Soda/vanilla or Strawberry and Cream enough to drink them with most meals. I could go with Blackberry, but I haven't seen that at machines yet. (Strawberry and Cream debuted in machines years before it was in stores.)}]
- Sorghum Festival, West Liberty, I'm not sure if you would call it DI or TO: Sometime when I was four to six, a distant relative suggested we check in on this. We didn't spend that long there, but I'm sure I ate something. I remember stopping at a Maloney's somewhere on the way back. I also remember seeing the P-burg LJS as if a was flying above it, like an out-of-body experience. As my mom recently reminded me, old US 23 once ran on the top of a mountain, which could explain that view. (Although, I may have had other, real out-of-body experiences later, but that is for a much future post.) We never went back for the Sorghum Festival again. [Side note. Although I work in Pikeville, I have never been to a single Hillbilly Days Festival, although my mom got roped into going a few times by friends. From her descriptions about the sanitary conditions, I wouldn't ever eat anything from there. My picky eating habits haven't changed that much.]
- [Hardee's, Jenkins most likely, TO: On the way back from Virginia, in the late 80s/early 90s, we stopped by this Hardee's drive through because I was getting hungry. They were running a promotion for banana milkshakes, and I got one because I was unsure about their Dr Pepper status. Now, while I may have tried a milk shake before then, this was the first time I can remember eating an entire one and loving it. The strange thing is that even to this day, I rarely think about having them. I haven't eaten one in ten years or more. Maybe I should try one again. I haven't been to that part of Jenkins in years, so I don't know if it is still open. (In fact, I thought this was in Elkhorn City instead, but my mom says Jenkins, so that is what is listed. It does make more sense.)]
- Hardee's, Morehead, DI: During my senior year, I got to go on two field trips. The first was to Morehead State University for a regional meeting of this business club I belonged to. I got roped into competing in a business math challenge without a calculator. Turns out, I was just about the only one without one. I couldn't finish most of the question long hand, so I quit a few minutes before the end. I got to roam the campus until the presentation at the end of the day, but I didn't eat at the cafeteria although we were supposed to. Afterwards, we stopped here. While I didn't buy anything, I did steal some fries from some friends. I later walked to the shopping center where I bought two cassette singles from a record store before stepping into a Walmart. Then we went home. (This was also the trip involving the stop at the P-berg McDs.) I haven't been to Morehead since, so I don't know if anything is still open at the same spots. [Side note 1: I didn't join many clubs in school, so I missed out on a lot of trips. For instance, if I had joined Beta Club my junior year, I would have had the opportunity to go to New York City. Instead, I joined senior year and got to help with a blood drive. Still a huge regret, even after so long. My mother probably wouldn't have let me go without her as a chaperone anyway.] [Side note 2: Because I commuted, I never had to eat at the cafeteria or student center at any college I attended. Never went to any games. Never any parties. I didn't even get anything from a vending machine. At most, water from the fountain. I missed out on lot.]
- May Lodge Restaurant, Jenny Wiley State Resort Park, DI: My second field trip was at a literary conference here as part of my journalism class. Other students outside of the class went too. Lunch was served here, but I only had some rolls as I didn't like how the food looked. I actually had to show people I had money when they asked why I wasn't eating. Quiet embarrassing. The restaurant has had problems over the years, but it is still open, although it will be closed for remodeling started the September. I have been here at other times. Once, in grade school, all of the Talented and Gifted classes in the county had a picnic at Dewey Lake. While I brought stuff to eat, it didn't feel right eating outside, so I didn't eat anything. Again, the Lodge hosted the dinner for the county's literary magazine my senior year. I was included, and I got a small prize for an essay. There were refreshments, but I don't think I ate anything. Finally, the Lodge hosted my junior prom. I technically didn't go, but I did go. See, I was going stag as most of the girls I was interested in were already seeing someone. This included some of my friends, so I wouldn't cross them. Didn't ask them for help either, as we weren't exactly that close yet. Anyway, I had the tux and was ready to go. The only thing I didn't have was a driver's license. My mom was going to take me. I wouldn't want to be a third wheel with anyone else, not that my mom would allow me to drive with anyone else anyway. So, we got to the Lodge a little too early. I didn't feel ready to go it yet, so I waited a few minutes. That turned into fifteen minutes. I couldn't go in. I just didn't feel right. So, I asked to leave, without even trying to leave the car. I just can't be myself around her. Maybe if she wasn't there, I could have gone in, but I don't know. What hurts the most is that I didn't even think about going my senior year, even after I had my license. I hate that.
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