(Originally
published 11/5/21)
Several
weeks ago, my local McDonald’s message board—under the golden arches—informed
passersby that the McRib sandwich was
coming back. Well, as of this
writing, it is indeed
back. But for how long? A friend of mine is triggered
by the mere mention of the McRib's returns and sabbaticals. Always on cue, he
imparts the tale of the sandwich’s celebrated demise some years back, claiming
that the franchise was sued when it was discovered that the McRib ingredients
included tire rubber. Now, I do not know if this is an urban legend or not, but
I seem to recall controversy surrounding the McRib and what went into it. Even
without tire rubber, the sandwich has a peculiar consistency that never fails
to make you wonder how it came to be a McRib. It is nonetheless one of the
tastier McDonald’s offerings when, of course, it is available.
But that is
not saying much.
In fact, I
passed by McDonald’s this morning on my way to Rite Aid, an over-priced drug
store chain. Therein, I noticed that so much more of its merchandise was under
lock and key, including all its beer, than when I previously visited. Recently,
there have been countless reported instances of blatant thievery in retail
stores—
and not just in San Francisco. It is the sign of the times, I
guess—lawlessness run amok. Anyway, as luck would have it, what I desired
purchasing was behind locked doors. Rather than search for an employee with a
key, my gut reaction was to just leave. I then spotted a security guard and asked
him if he would do the honor. He acted surprised at the request but went in
search of a key. Honestly, spontaneity in retail shopping is
key. Things
locked away will prevent theft, sure, but it will also lead to loss of sales.
Hey, Rite
Aid, what gives? It is November 5 and you are not decorated for Christmas. The
place still had Halloween merchandise on the shelves. I have been hearing about
product shortages this holiday season, like artificial Christmas trees. Time
will tell on that one. And what about the genuine articles—real trees—how will
their supply be impacted by everything from droughts to floods to shipping snafus?
It is, nevertheless, beginning to look a little like Christmas at least. The
big Rockefeller Center tree has been selected. It is coming from Maryland this
year. And the Radio Music Hall Christmas Spectacular commences today. Last year
there were no shows.
Hopefully,
the worst of the pandemic is in the rear-view mirror. With any luck, some of
the ugliness it wrought will go with it, too. Since COVID-19 reared its head,
there has been a precipitous increase in revved up, engine-popping automobiles,
motorcycles, and vehicles that do not qualify as either. It is part of that lawlessness
and overall stupidity. Idiots playing Speed Racer—a must-see cartoon for me
as a kid—on residential back streets at all hours of the day. And the
police turn a blind eye.
There is
also a lot of run-of-the-mill aggressive driving. Red lights mean accelerating
at their turns. Crossing at the green without looking both ways is a matter of
life and death. Yesterday, I had the light when a taxi driver made the left
turn leading to a shopping mall. Hoping to pass by me before I got in his way,
he floored the gas pedal. Stunned, I abruptly stopped and waved for the ass to
pass. He sneered at me, like I was the guilty party for crossing at the green.
The fact that I employ a cane mattered not at all. With the McRib sandwich a
stone’s throw away from my adventures and misadventures, this is the world I
call home.
(Photos
from the personal collection of Nicholas Nigro)
