Deli-cious

Ah, lunchtime.

I get pretty hungry around noon, and if I'm in an unfamiliar place, the most stressful part of my day can be finding that ideal place to get a sandwich. This can be a particular challenge when you can't really read the signs, or tell the difference between a diner and an auto parts store.

My current commute includes Grand Central Terminal (not the "Station": that's a post office). A few weeks ago, I spent a good fifteen minutes trying to find a place to get lunch that didn't break my bank account or just sell desserts. The moment I heard someone ordering pastrami on rye, I rushed to the end of the line and waited my turn. Finally, I arrived at the counter and asked for a roast beef and cheddar.

"No cheese!" came the response.

I had stumbled up to a kosher deli. Had I known that, I would have ordered corned beef. I canceled the cheddar.

Today, after a short day of work, I arrived at the terminal and went straight for the deli. I knew exactly where to go. There was no line. I went right up and asked for a corned beef on rye.

"Next one over," came the response. I was at a Chinese food counter.

The Chinese food guy replied pretty quickly, as though it happens a lot. Maybe a lot of not-not-blind people wander through Grand Central, looking for a good Jewish meal. Maybe the hunger itself drives Jews and those who love Jewish food to temporary blindness. I don't know. But I do know that the corned beef was excellent.