Taco Bell (R.I.P.)

Yesterday, I took myself to Chic-Fil-A (or Chic-a-fill as mama calls it) for lunch. As I was leaving the restaurant I drove right past Taco Bell and had a revelation. I no longer crave the Bell. I was amazed and somewhat saddened. My relationship with Taco Bell began back in high school when my friend Mentanna introduced me to the bean burrito with extra cheese. She taught me to keep it simple back then. There was a two week period where we went everyday after school and then snuck our burrito's into the dollar movie theatre to watch Dirty Dancing. We were such rebels. I've seriously seen Dirty Dancing at least forty times in my life. NOBODY puts Baby in a corner.

In college, I was poor and a night out on the town for me and my boyfriend back then was to go to Taco Bell and splurge. By then, my tastes had broadened to the Nachos BelGrande and the soft taco supreme, but I still held a special place in my heart for the bean burrito. Add some sour cream and it was so delicious!

After college I kept the Bell tradition alive because I was addicted. I craved it like nothing else. Many a friend has had to make a late night run for the border with me. (Shout out to Sharon and Mel here.) I loved it all. The crunchiness of the Nachos supreme, the cheesy goodness of a cheesy gordita crunch, the fillingness of the grilled stuffed burrito! OH! I could go on and on. I swear I married Mike after I found out that he hates Taco Bell but he would still take me there to eat because he knew how much I loved it. The selflessness!

Anyway, when we moved to Laramie last year I can't tell you how happy I was to find a Taco Bell there. I actually called up friends in California to let them know that there was some sort of civilization in Wyoming. Imagine my disappointment when I went to the Bell for the first time in Laramie and it wasn't up to par! But, I forgave. I thought it was just having a bad food day. After my fourth visit there I had to admit that this Taco Bell was just not good. And I ceased to visit it. I had withdrawels. Let's not forget that I was pregnant and had cravings! Sadly, I had to turn to McDonald's. Their quarter pounder with cheese meal got me through many a hard time in Wyoming.

One of the joys in moving back to Texas was the realization that I could start up my affair with the Bell once again. I dreamed of our reunion. I hit it our first week back. And it wasn't as good as I remembered. Cautiously, I went back one more time. And it wasn't as good as I remembered. It seems my time away from the Bell has in fact healed my addiction to it. I feel like Judas as I turn instead to Baja Fresh or Chipoltle. I'm sorry TB, but I'm over you.