Lunch with Anthony

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This was the high temperature last Thursday at Dupont Circle…windchill made it feel even cooler. (photo: Reed Sandridge)

It seems like last week we skipped straight to winter – at least you would have thought that based on last Thursday here in DC. The high just made it over 50 degrees and the wind chill canceled out any relief the occasional sun provided. I’m glad that my friend Anthony has a warm, secure place to sleep indoors this winter. Thank you for your help in helping him achieve his goal.

I met Anthony over lunch. Joining us this time was another friend Steve who lives two blocks from Anthony’s apartment. They’ve met a couple of times and I thought I’d extend an invitation to him to join us.

The three of us huddled around a small table inside The Well Dressed Burrito. A place you’re not likely to find unless you know it’s there. Tucked away in an alley between 19th and 20th Streets, it serves up tex-mex for a loyal group of followers.

While I usually enjoy the food and can look past the dingy storage room like feel of the décor, the service is a turnoff. They’re not friendly; they seem to be trying to emulate Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi. Maybe I’m a bit bitter because for the second time in a row they have got my order wrong – today I had the unwanted lime infused sour cream slathered all over my burrito. It wasn’t worth dealing with them to get without it as I had ordered.

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Me, Anthony, Steve at The Well Dressed Burrito

In spite of the order bungle the lunch was enjoyable. Anthony is doing well. He said he had his November rent money saved up and was sporting some heavier clothes that will be necessary as colder weather settles into DC for the next 5 months.

He’s even making breakfast for himself. The apartment complex where he is living has a shared kitchen. Anthony says it’s wonderful. “I got up this past weekend and made me some scrambled eggs and breakfast sausage.” Something he hasn’t done in decades. He made me laugh too when he explained that he doesn’t like to use the plates and utensils that they have at the kitchen. “I take me some extra plastic forks, knives and all and even paper plates from the [restaurant name removed] each morning that way I’ll have some when I need’em.”

From an environmental perspective I wish he, and my father for that matter, would use reusable silverware and plates – baby steps.

Both Steve and Anthony interrogated me on my writing. The fact is that I’ve gone way too long without writing and there is no excuse. It’s a scheduling thing. You need to make time for it like anything else and then sit down and write. Small bite-size goals every writing session will eventually add up. They gave me some needed encouragement and have both promised to be checking in on my progress more regularly. I am looking forward to that.

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