After the second bout of cold in less than a month, my body was needing something — probably sodium — and the craving came in the form of hot dog. I needed a hot dog and I needed it badly. It was a Sunday afternoon, and I had no idea where I could find a hot dog within walking distance. I was dead set on walking to a destination where a hot dog would await, because I wanted two things in life that day — a hot dog, and some steps.
After Google gave me some lackluster results that were simply too far away, I decided to just go and see if Dairy Queen had any hot dogs. In my fuzzy memory, it did, but that could have been a fever dream or some kind of Mandela effect. Or, I was simply confusing Dairy Queen with Orange Julius.
After walking to Dairy Queen on Broadway and squinting from the window to see their menu so I didn’t have to do the awkward dance of going in and leaving without ordering anything should they have no hot dogs. Which in fact, they did not. Dejected, I took maybe 20 steps before I saw something miraculous — A hot dog kiosk where I was 100% sure was just a window before. On the side of Sunshine Diner, was what looked like a brand new booth named Bunz & Bites. It’s logo? A hot dog skateboarding. It’s menu? Hot dogs and corndogs.
I was incredulous. How long has this been here and I have simply not noticed? I would gander not very long as their sandwich board and awning look brand new. I asked Solen if he knew that was there. He did not. In fact, this place did not even exist on Google Maps yet.
It was $5 a hot dog. Perfect, I happened to have a crispy $5 bill. I got my hot dog, all was well with the world.