Food trucks --with poetry

[asakiyume]

This past Friday was Food Truck Friday in my town.



So many marvelous choices! (This is just a sampling)



I got empanadas from La Mesa and some fried plantains from a Caribbean truck (not pictured). People were picnicking, but I was bringing my goodies home for family.

I did, however, stop to get a "wicked short" poem from Attack Bear Press's poetry vending machine:



I got an untitled haiku by Melissa Silva:
sun-shade dappled path--
beeeee-bzzz-see-seee-seee-dz-dsee
Blue Winged Warbler sings

Jason Montgomery, the Attack Bear in the picture of the vending machine, told me that on the trees at the front of the school grounds where Food Truck Friday was happening had the transcribed story of his grandmother's migration to the United States from Mexico in the early 20th century. Her story was vivid--here is the introductory placard and a few others from the trees:









It was very pleasant! Much better than my other main excitement of the week, which was to contract a TERRIBLE case of poison ivy for which I'm now on steroids ....

Comments

[csecooney.com]

This would make a marvelous setting for a story. And I almost think people would say of it: "That's too perfect. It could only be fiction."

[asakiyume]

It had an incredibly positive vibe. A story without much conflict?

[csecooney.com]

I like all kinds of stories. A set piece story. A character study. A slow realization. A celebration.

[asakiyume]

After I left you that comment, I began to imagine the possibilities <3

[sonia]

Wow, what an amazing story about his grandmother. Thank you for your photos sharing the scene.

I hope your poison ivy feels better soon! That's no fun.

[asakiyume]

You're very welcome-and thank you!

[http://lotuslandfineart.com/velvetrope/]

Rash be gone! Seriously, may you heal quickly.

[asakiyume]

Thank you!!

Hear that, poison ivy rash? Wanda Lotus commands you!

[pameladean]

Oh, I'm so sorry about the poison ivy! I had a terrible case of it when I was fifteen and had to have steroids too. I'm not sure this is medically sound, but my mother always wondered if that was why I suddenly quit growing. I was so unfavorably impressed by the entire experience that I haven't ever gotten another case, though it's meant staying well away from some beautiful areas. (Poison ivy doesn't generally grow in people's yards around here, though if the climate changes it could start.)

I hope the steroids take care of yours quickly. And the food truck day sounds so lovely.

P.

[asakiyume]

I've always been paranoid about it because my father is hugely sensitive, and I've had spots of it now and then, but this time, like Whoa. Where the rash is, it looked like Baron Harkonen from the David Lynch Dune movie. The steroids are definitely helping, though I've heard the rash can bounce back when you finish the course. The doctor assured me that no, that's why they taper you off the steroids, but I'm thinking, surely the other people whose stories I'm reading online also had their course of steroids tapered? But whatever; for right now it's headed in the right direction.

Poison ivy grows **everywhere** near me. It's like an apex plant or something.

[pameladean]

Baron Harkonnen-level poison ivy! EEEEEP. (I didn't have a defined rash; it was winter in Missouri, and I was sitting in a hole from which a tree had been removed in a nursery field, mostly bundled up and peacefully reading a book. My face swelled up like a balloon, but the doctor took one look and said it was poison ivy. Vile sneaky stuff.)

Here's to the lack of return of the rash.

P.

[asakiyume]

Ouf--and anything on the face is scary; you worry about eyes, or things happening to interfere with breathing.

[amaebi]

Sometimes even with a taper you can rebound, and once it's determined that you're steroid-dependent you have to taper off and take some really bad-stuff immunosuppressant drugs. Sheeyun had to do that.

But it worked, and all was well.

[asakiyume]

Delightful! Was that for poison ivy?

Well, one way or another it will all clear up. (How long was his course of steroids?)

[amaebi]

It was for a serious kidney ailment called minimal change disease. He was on three successive courses of high-dose Prednisone over about two years, tapering off the last with a drug called Cytoxin.Each of the courses was maybe eight weeks?

[asakiyume]

Wow, that sounds intense. I'm glad in the end he's well.

My course is just 10 days, so with luck I don't become dependent.

[sovay]

I did, however, stop to get a "wicked short" poem from Attack Bear Press's poetry vending machine

I love the idea of a poetry vending machine. Thanks for the transcription and the photographs of the grandmother's story.

Much better than my other main excitement of the week, which was to contract a TERRIBLE case of poison ivy for which I'm now on steroids ....

That part is not good! Take care of yourself! I hate poison ivy.

[asakiyume]

It was a lot of fun to operate the machine. You put in two quarters, pushed the the coins in, pulled back, and two stiff pieces of cardboard came out, with the poem sandwiched in between.

The grandmother's story had many more episodes, including having a lamb that kept butting her mother, plus all kinds of dire employment.

ETA: And thank you for the good wishes re: the poison ivy. I will slather myself with people's good words and hopefully the poison ivy rash will get the message.

[athenais]

Oh dear, I'm so sorry you're suffering from poison ivy! I'm glad Food Truck Friday could take your mind off it. The poetry aspect is great.

[asakiyume]

There was also the promised live music, which was nothing to write home about but did add a festive element--yeah! Definitely took my mind off things, and I feel a lot better now.

[shewhomust]

That sounds like a really grat event! And the Attack Bears have some interesting stuff going on, too.

I'm sorry about the poison ivy - and so glad we don't have it!

[asakiyume]

Yes, that was wonderful when I was in England--no poison ivy. Stinging nettles, yes (which anyway we also have here, but not as many), but with stinging nettles you feel them right away, so you're able to limit your exposure (unless you are swinging in a wooden swing over a bunch of them and happen to jump off too soon, which either one of my kids or their cousins did--but even so, it wasn't so bad. And you can eat stinging nettles, which can't be said for poison ivy!)

[cmcmck]

That looks like my sorta day out! :o)

[asakiyume]

You would have loved it ^_^

[amaebi]

Wow, I like that little poetry press.

And I'm so sorry about the poison ivy! Yuck! Also steroids, yuck though useful!

[asakiyume]

I like the little press too! I'm thinking (not very hard or seriously, but the thought did pass through my mind) of sending them something for the vending machine.

And many thanks for the poison ivy condolences :-)

[amaebi]

Also, poison ivy is a remarkably skilled evolved and has many forms and ecological niches.

[asakiyume]

It's a very pretty plant in all seasons, and yes, very adaptable--sometimes a ground cover, sometimes climbing up trees, sometimes forming a practical shrub. One superpower I've wished I had was immunity to poison ivy ;-)

[gale_storm]

Oooh! Food truck goodness! Mmm!

[asakiyume]

A real treat ^_^

[wayfaringwordhack]

Oy, poison ivy! Hopefully but a memory by now.


But the rest of your excitement was so beautiful. Viva such Food Truck Fridays. Stories and food. What poetic and visceral (and heartbreaking) views into peoples' lives.

[asakiyume]

Alas not a memory yet, and I gather from research online that it's likely not to be for another few weeks, but still: much less awful than it was this time last week!

And thank you for sharing my Food Truck, poetry, and family-history excitement <3