this morning as i was crossing the street to start my day with a metro ride, i came across a familiar aroma. while the beautiful weather has proven that indeed, spring has finally arrived, it wasn't the crisp, fresh air that was grabbing my attention.

in the safeway parking lot, wafts of just-brewed coffee and fried eggs & sausages (or something like it) made their way to my olfactory organs, and then up to my cerebrum. as i looked around to find the source, there in the parking lot, was a pick-up truck with a large metal cover on the cab, and a man prepping to sell morning goodies to passersby. it was then that i experienced a sort of deja vu and was immediately transported back to my grad student days at rutgers.

rutgers may not be well known for its awesome athletics or its famous alumni. but what it IS known for are the infamous grease trucks.

the grease trucks are on the corner of college ave & hamilton st (behind the bus stop) and consist of about 4 or 5 stationary trucks that cater to students, faculty, new brunswickers & highland parkers on a strict schedule (and tight budget), as well as the heavyweight drinkers (and eaters) leaving the bar on any given night. the grease trucks sell the famous "fat" sandwiches, which essentially are big sandwichs stuffed with as many heart-unhappy things as you can imagine.

apparently the fat darrell is the most famous sandwich (deemed by maxim), consisting of chicken fingers, french fries, mozzarella sticks, and marinara sauce. it was name by darrell butler (pictured on the left with his famous sandwich, though, i'm not sure what that long, lightly colored hot dog looking thing is). if you're thinking, 'hey, that's a lot of stuff to have on one sandwich!' you would be absolutely right.

during my two year (and too short) stint in new brunswick, i can proudly say that i have eaten two fat sandwiches. i believe both times were on occasions where alcohol had been involved, which, in my opinion, is really the best time to eat them. i think my state of mind prevented me from physically feeling the ill-effects of finishing an entire fat cat, but i'm still alive today, so how bad could it really have been?

so this morning, as i walked by the not-even-close "grease pick-up", i remembered the grease trucks, and felt a little choked up. although the sandwiches are more novelty than culinary discovery, to me the fat cats represent more than just a food item. it is a window to my former life. whether it be waiting for the H or the A buses, walking to work at the phoenix foundation, dealing with pepe's bullshit at some trashed undergrad house on hamilton, late night study sessions with sung hee at sojin's, watching sopranos at the wich, running into ashwin all over town, or taking random walks with cavin, it only takes a quick whiff of a fat darrell in the morning to bring me back...

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