Choices, decisions, decisions about choices. There is work, that’s necessary. That’s not a choice. Most people don’t have the choice not to work. But, even in that, you have more choices now.

It is the other things that make our day to day lives hectic. So very many choices. We do not even realize how many choices that we have to make in a day now. When I was little, I never remember hearing this common conversation: “Where do you wanna eat?” “I dunno, where do you wanna eat?” “I dunno?” We went either to the Dan’s cafe for fish on Friday nite or to Doc and Doolies. Then, the Dairy Queen opened and if I was lucky I got a banana split. It cost a dollar.

Cartoons came on one channel and only on Saturday morning. Saturday nite was Hee Haw and Lawrence Welk. Weeknite shows were Starsky and Hutch and Charlies Angels.

Now don’t misunderstand me here, I did not personally witness the dust storm of the 30’s, but I do remember a little more simplicity in our lives.

Not that long ago, we only had a few things to think about and they were not hard choices because there wasn’t that much to choose from; one movie screen, two restuaruants that stayed open late, and two or three grocery stores. No cable and what you did pick up with the TV antannae outside went off at midnite. You had a sense of success if you had stayed up long enough to hear the National Anthem be played to the waving flag on TV and then,you see the big gray circle, heard the tone that said it was time to get up, walk to the TV, click it off and go to bed.

Life in 2007 is sort of like going into Subway and ordering a sandwich. Just a sandwich. It takes thought now. It takes concentration and this innate sense of culinary combinations to make it through the line. I just wanted a sandwich.

6 inch? I dunno..I just wanted a sandwich. What type of bread? er…I dunno, K, let’s eat healthy for the middle-aged man. I’ll eat wheat bread. Great..wheat bread. Toasted? Sure man, toast it. I’m just hungry for a sandwich. What kind of meat? Ok, I’m good there. Turkey! I want myself a TURKEY sandwich!

What do you want ON your turkey sandwich? Well, lettuce, mayo and some tomato. Ok, I’ve made that final decision. Sure, chop the tomato, that’ll be fine. Vinegar and oil? Well, I’ve already got mayo on it. For Pete’s sake man, it’s just a sandwich, but whatever you think. Whew, I’m glad that’s over. Salt and pepper, you ask?

I’m good. By now, I’ve worked up an appetite just in making this dining decision. Soon, I get to sit and eat my custom made JUST FOR ME, one of a kind turkey sandwich.

What do I want to go WITH my turkey sandwich? K…I’ll just take some chips. fine…

What KIND of chips…now, just put some chips on there and let me go! Fine…just plain ole chips to go with my one of a kind custom made just for me turkey sandwich that has been slid, quite efficiently, down the white board to the next set of gloved hands. (The gloves are for sanitary sakes, but don’t they make turkey sandwich production appear important ?)

What do I want to drink? BY NOW I WANT A BEER! But, since I don’t drink, I’ll just take a diet Coke.

YES YES YES! Pepsi will do! It will, oh my , it will do…..and..the caffeine free diet Pepsi is the absolutely 100% perfect accessory I needed to complete my CUSTOM MADE JUST FOR ME TURKEY SANDWICH AND CHIPS…..

A cookie to go with it? I give in to the onslaught of questions and had the chocolate chip cookie as it compliments the diet Pepsi on the pallate. Yes, I do as the cookie advisor recommends and I get the 3 because it is a better deal. And, also I get the large drink because it is a better deal as well.

I would have went with the leather sandwich cover, but it seemed a little over the top and I thought that the color of the turkey clashed with the leather color choices she had.

Sweaty and worn from building my lunch, I have it in my hand and I wonder, where will I sit?

When, I was 15 and worked at Shipman’s market, the choice was either a ham or a bologna (e) sandwich. We didn’t have turkey..it wasn’t Thankgsiving yet. And everybody got mayo and hotsauce and it was all wrapped in a big piece of wax paper torn from a huge sheet and had a toothpick stuck in it. The got a Coke in a bottle from the big cooler, opened the cap in the bottleopener on the side of the cooler and let it fall in the floor. It was put on tab on a brown card in the wooden box under the counter. Yesterday’s credit card, I suppose.

They sat down, ate, laughed, smoked and went on with their days. Of course, that lifestyle killed all of those men and women, but….

they didn’t have a lot of choices then….