Yesterday, my co-worker Sean came into my office to visit, as we don't talk as much as we did since moving out of our shared office to a pair of separate enclosures on separate floors of the Alumni House. He noted that I had purchased (and displayed) a St. Louis Rams antenna ball from everyone's favorite fast-food joint, Jack in the Box.

Sean, the native St. Louisian that he is, declared, "Forsooth! I see that thou hast obtained a ball for thy antenna, which bears the insignia of the Sainte Louis Rams football club. Prithee, whither didst thou get it?" Sean, as all St. Louisians who lived here before 1995, is kind of Rams fan.

My response was to tell him that yea, I did obtain the gewgaw at the Jack in the Box on Olive Boulevard, in the same shopping center as one may find the University City Schnucks. e.

All right, enough of that old-style talking crap. I'm sorry. The point remains, though, that Sean was quite interested in the bauble which I displayed, and I gave him directions to get to the place. He's originally from south Saint Louis, and it should be noted that, generally, white lower-middle-class Catholics from South Saint Louis do not very often head up anywhere near the University City Loop, much less north of it. Apparently, that neighborhood is viewed merely as a "hood," sans neighbor. This is not just Sean's opinion, either. I've met a large number of people just at work from Affton and Shrewsbery to the south, and Chesterfield to the west, who seem to think that going to Cicero's for dinner is the same as asking Genghis Khan to give you a tattoo after a drinking binge. The Loop and areas north seem to me to be fine, nice places to bring up a kid. Sure, they're not Frontenac, but that may not be a bad thing.

So, long story somewhat shorter, Sean opted to head out to the Jack in the Box and pick up his antenna ball, as well as a Jack Bobblehead, as he's become a bobblehead freak lately. Darn shame he missed out on the early part of the craze, but whatever. He later IMmed me to tell me the following:
"ok, so first it took them about 20 minutes to get my food. then they come back and tell me they're out of bobbleheads."
"Alright," I replied. "So then what?"
"then they didn't even want to give me back my money. i had to argue with them for another 5 minutes just to get my two fucking dollars back."
Sean, it should be noted, is kind of thrifty.
"How was the food?" I asked.
"it served its purpose. I didn't have anything else in the apartment. but you forgot to tell me to bring the AK47."

At least the food served its purpose. No bobbles anywhere, but I declare, the food hath filled his stomache.