I dropped the wife off for a spa day with the cousins and went in search of a taco joint I used to enjoy back when I worked in Santa Ana. It was called El TaCo ntento, or the Happy Taco. It was a cute little play on words. If you were fortunate enough to hit this place at the right time the tacos could kill you, if not, the just put you in the hospital. The only thing that remains of this wonderful little hole-in-the-wall is its sign and a burnt-out old building.
Bummed, I set off in search of a cold beer. My old bar was just a few miles away. Back in the day, I had my own spot at the beat up old rail. What were the chanced it was still around? ZERO is seems. My bar is so gone I had to drive around the block a few times to make sure I was in the right place. I finally got out in the parking lot to look around. There was a good dive bar on this spot. Now its a friggen Rite Aid. Like we need another Rite Aid.
I did not have the heart to go looking for Teri’s Cigars. I would have been crushed if this place was gone. They roll their own cigars. So good….
So, my tacos are gone and my bar is gone, what about the place where I used to work? It’s gone too. I could not even find the block I worked on. It’s covered in condos. I’ve been erased. It’s a weird feeling. It's like death. Nobody will ever remember me there. The people I knew are in the wind. The places I frequented are all but gone. The only bit of reality that remains is locked in my head where it will die with me.