Creature of Habit

As a consumer of cheeseburgers, I tend to be a creature of habit. This habit involves walking around the corner and sitting at the middle of the bar at Justin's on Lark Street in Albany, ordering either a beer or a soda - depending on my mood or schedule, and then placing an order for a cheeseburger. I am a regular there, and it is usually a given to whichever beautiful woman tends bar that afternoon that I will order the burger. And up until recently, I would order the same burger: swiss cheese and bacon, tomatoes, no lettuce, no onion and macaroni salad. Justin's has a great macaroni salad, by the way; not to heavy on the mayo, lightly seasoned. Sometimes, if famished, I will order their outstanding, well-salted steak fries, but usually I will settle for chips.

When the burger arrives, I will usually spread a not-so-light coat of mayonaisse on the inside of each bun, followed by just a little ketchup. I will then hold the burger vertically, to allow any excess juices or ketchup drip onto the plate, and then I will take that first bite. The best first bite is when I take in the burger, a bit of bacon and the swiss cheese all at once. It is not a big bite, in the Homer Simpson style, but a smaller one, in which I take in the burger and its accessories and chew quietly, savoring the special combination of flavors. Then I will swallow and chase the bite down with a sip of beer, usually a Sierra Nevada.

What makes the experience special for me at Justin's is the fact that I am a creature of habit, a regular, and that I have a good rapport with the lunchtime cook, who is always conscientious about how my burger is done (even one time bringing out extra bacon when he forgot to put it on the burger). I also have a good rapport with whichever bartender is there.

Eating a burger at Justin's is almost a regular religious experience, much in the same way that old men and women attend the same mass at the same church every day or every other day. Sitting there, enjoying my burger, i savor the process of ordering, eating, drinking and conversing (if anyone is around). Upon leaving, I usually feel content and fulfilled, and have faith that when I go back, my needs will be met again.