Financial Crisis Hits the Steak & Catfish Barn! News at 11!

I had no idea that the ramifications of this financial crisis would hit close to home so quickly. Of all the places to be affected, I never dreamed that the Steak and Catifsh Barn would be one of the first to cut back, but they did—or at least, I thought they did.

Yesterday, I joined my parents on a trip to my dad's Friday lunch spot—The Steak and Catfish Barn. Yes, it is as glamorous as you are imagining. No, there isn't actually a barn, unless you count the small portable tool shed in the parking lot as a barn. It is, however, adorned with Elvis memorabilia, and there is a scarecrow at the front entrance. In just two visits, this place may now be my favorite restaurant, proof positive that my dad and I are kindred spirits when it comes to fried food served out of shacks. In fact, I just may have found a replacement for my old "thing" that my dad and I used to do together. For years, I looked forward to going home to share a particular meal with my dad (even though he was unaware of the fact that I considered this our special "thing"). What was it? Chicken Fried Steak, Fried Okra, and Fried Corn-on-the-Cob (my dad got French Fries instead of corn) from The Black-Eyed Pea. No, that down-home chain is no longer in business. I guess people decided they needed to eat healthier food than the fare they offered. (Ed. I stand corrected, on January 1, 2009, I discovered that there is, at least, one BEP restaurant open in the Dallas area.) But, it was delicious, and if you EVER have the chance to eat fried corn-on-the-cob, do it. Anyway, I am very close to adopting S&C Barn as our new place (even though it's technically my dad's place where he takes my mom every Friday even though she can't eat anything on the menu).

So, Friday was my second visit. My brother and I went there a week and a half before (perhaps in honor of my dad since we went there just before picking my parents up from the airport). Apparently Fridays are the "cheap" day; though, after further discussing why my dad believes that Fridays are the "cheap" day, we realized that every day at lunch might be the same as Friday since my dad has only ever gone there on a Friday at lunch. On Friday (and possibly every day at lunch, though this is merely a working theory), there is no table service, and that's what makes it so darn cheap.

We walked in, ordered our food at the counter, filled our cups with iced tea, and found a nice spot with Elvis looking over us. Immediately, I noticed a difference from my first visit. There were no hush puppies on the table. At first I wasn't too bothered since I had been here for dinner, and the prices were higher. It only stands to reason that hush puppies would automatically be brought to your table. But then, I started to think. The list of sides on the menu included hush puppies. For a split second I considered getting them, but then I thought, "Why get hush puppies when you get them anyway?" For that reason, I went with the fries (well, also because I assumed, based on no evidence whatsoever, that their fries were fresh-cut).

As I looked around the restaurant, I noticed that the fries were frozen, crinkle-cut fries, and I immediately regretted my decision to not get hush puppies. So distraught was I, that I voiced my concern.

Me: I'm really starting to regret my decision to get fries.
Mom: Why?
Me: Because they don't have the fries I wanted.
Mom: They have fresh fries.
Me: No they don't.
Mom: Of course they do.
Dad: No, they're frozen.
Mom: They used to fresh.
Dad: No. You're thinking of McGeehy's (ed. Which is THE BEST CATFISH RESTAURANT IN THE WORLD located on the OK/TX border.)
Mom: Oh.
Me: I should have gotten hush puppies.
Mom: You get hush puppies.
Me: I'm not so sure. Last week, they brought a basket of hush puppies.
Mom: Hmm…I always get hush puppies.
Me: I don't know if you will. They were listed as a side on the menu. I think you have to order them.
Mom: I've never done that before.
Me: Things have changed. This place is nothing like it was a week and a half ago.
Mom: It's probably the financial crisis.
Me: Yep, they're already cutting back. What a shame. I can't believe the financial crisis is affecting my complimentary hush puppies.

(The waitress came over with our food. My mom inspected hers and turned to me.)

Mom: I got hush puppies.
Me: You did? (I sorted through my basket of fried delights.) Hey, I got some too. I guess it isn't the financial crisis after all.
Mom: Guess not. But you never know what might happen next week.
Me: True. Now I just want to know who orders hush puppies as a side and how many do you get? Seems like overkill. (ed. As if my fried catfish, fried okra, French fries, and hush puppies (which, in case you are unfamiliar are fried cornbread balls) wasn't already overkill.)

Crisis averted. Well, at least the one surrounding potentially missing hush puppies. The real crisis happened the second I got in the car, making me realize that I have no business incorporating fried food into my daily diet. Oh yeah, and the financial crisis is a mess too, but that kind of goes without saying.