By Popular Request

I was asked by an anonymous source (Mike Connors) to re-tell a famous story from my youth. I have told this tale for years and so many times it has become etched into my memory. I remember this girl in high school who would beg me to tell it almost daily and each time she would laugh her ass off as I told it. I am not sure if reading about it will be as funny as hearing me tell it but I will try my best. So, here for your reading enjoyment is the time that Mike Dell threw up at the White Castle on 79^th and Harlem.

Dell, had a floor hockey game so, I went with him and Nancy came along. At this point in time Dell was chauffeuring our asses everywhere. I personally feel that I have re-paid Dell with rides during the stretch of time before he got his Grand Prix and after the Impala stopped running. During that period, Dell was car-less so I paid him back in full. Nancy is a different story. Dell and I have often joked that one day we are going to fly to her house unannounced in Arizona and tell her that we need a ride back to Chicago. Then we might be even with her in the ride department.

But, I digress. Dell’s game ended and the three of us jumped into Dell’s car and decided to head off to the Castle and grab some burgers. We ordered our steamy delights and proceeded to sit down in a booth. Nancy and I were on one side and Dell was on the other. On the side that Dell was on, sat the heating duct. This device would come in to play in a moment.

As we sat there eating our heavenly delights the place started to get busy and suddenly there was kind of a long line at the counter. It was at this time that Dell looking somewhat pale, decided he needed to purge. I guess he didn’t have enough time to make it to the bathroom so he turned to his left and upchucked into the heating duct that was right next to our booth. Of course throwing up is rarely a silent adventure and Dell’s wretching noises caused the entire restaurant to turn in our direction to see him in mid-hurl.

Nancy tried to cover for him by explaining he was only coughing but, once people started to hear the sizzling of the vomit in the heating duct the gig was up. So, being the mature seventeen year olds that we were we high-tailed it out of there just as the smell of heating puke started to ferment the place. I mean think how White Castle smell going in. Now imagine that smell, being vomited out and heated. Needless to say the poor schlub making minimum wage that had to clean up the mess was severly underpaid for the tasks he was going to be asked to perform.

So, as we left I hopped in the front seat with Dell and Nancy got in the back. Dell had thrown his coat on the seat and I, trying to make some room, decided to throw it in the back where Nancy was. As I was in mid-toss Dell, exclaimed, “Be careful I threw-up on the coat as well.” Of course he says this right as the coat leaves my hand and hits Nancy. We were laughing so hard that I don’t think she even minded. Now, Dell may not remember this story or maybe he chooses to forget all the details but if I ever got a hold of Nancy she could verify the entire nights events.