Sad (as in strange) Eatings

I know a lot of kids leaving home and off to live on college campus's all over this country. I've already heard of some interesting food consumptions going on. When I went to college, a very long time ago, I didn't live in a dorm. I lived in an apartment so I had to cook for myself from the get go. My mom put dozens of little baggies with strange and familiar herbs and spices with twist ties in my bare kitchen cupboards. I think they cleaned out the camper of all the cooking stuff and gave it to me. Not quality stuff but what did I know? Not much. I remember one of those baggies was marked "Marjoram." Mar what?

Channeling my inner college student I've stooped to a new culinary low. Worse than Top Raman, worse than boxed Mac and cheese. Popcorn tossed with a can of anchovies. You read that correctly. I'm in Northern California helping my mom move to Southern California. When I arrived the refrigerator was already gone. There was some fish in a cooler but I wasn't feeling super great about the amount of time it may have been on ice or in cool ice-chest water. For dinner I had a hard boiled an egg, a piece of toasted white sandwich bread, salt and pepper. By bedtime I was h-u-n-g-r-y. What to eat, what to eat? Looking in cupboards; Found 1/2 jar full of salsa in the pantry area. Hum? No. Flour that any good elementary science teacher would be envious of. No. Microwave popcorn. (I do not like popcorn) Ok, popcorn with cheese sounds promising. No cheese. Then I see it, the can of anchovies. I think savory, salty and protein. Those are the things that help me sleep best. So what if I put the two together? I mashed the anchovies into a paste and tossed it into my hot popcorn. Actually not too bad. The ratio of grain to fish could have been better but that's a lesson learned I suppose.

This morning I was hungry again. "Oh no," you might be thinking. I was thinking that too so I borrowed mom's stuffed to the windows car and headed to the grocery store. What I wanted was a bagel but I don't know if they have a bagel shop in this town. Because we're in farm country the abundance of produce greets you in giant bins outside the store doors. In a subconscious effort to redeem last night I instinctively reached for a giant naval orange and an equally sized peach. Then I saw rows of bagels hanging on pegs inside a case. I learn they all cost .99 ea. and they have a toaster in their coffee bar area AND they throw in cream cheese for free. Jackpot! Bagels weren't marked but they're big and smell good. Several look to have cheese so I naturally know my choice will be one of these. Last time I had a jalapeño cheese bagel it was so spicy I couldn't enjoy it so that's out. In my greed I make my decision based on size. The first bite reveals I've chosen a pizza bagel. Ug. Whatever. For lunch I ate 2 chili cheese dogs. I think the old saying, "Going to hell in a hand basket" must have been directed at marginal food. I need to get out of food hell. Have a desperate food story? I'd love to hear it. Please, it will make me feel better about my strange late night choice.