Jim had the first of two follow-up exams yesterday morning. As most of you know, he was involved in a wreck two weeks ago which could have disrupted our lives a whole lot more than just the two hours of not knowing how he was that night. That was scary enough to last me for quite a while. The trauma doctor we visited gave him a thumbs up for how well he had healed in the past two weeks. We go back again in a month for another check up.

Whenever there’s a trip to Omaha with Jim, it usually involves something to eat. He loves having a reason to go somewhere to eat (me too). I’ve also learned from experience that when Jim stops to eat, you better stop to eat too because you never know when the next chance will come along. The appointment took us to downtown Omaha. When we finally got out of the clinic, Jim wanted to go “across the river” to the Bass Pro Shop. It was 11:45. He said, “We’ll walk around here for 45 minutes and then I guess we better go get something to eat”. Love those words!

12:30 arrived and, just like clock work, Jim was where he said we should meet. “Ok, here’s what I was thinking”, he says, “We can do one of three things – go to the Chinese place in Bellevue, or to Netties (also in Bellevue), or we can try something different”. It was my time to chime in, “I’m all for going somewhere different.” So, he pointed me (yes, I was driving) in the direction of a place very near the Bass Pro Shop called Quaker Steak & Lube. “What’s at this place to eat?”, I questioned. “Oh, the usual – burgers, wings and other sandwiches”, he tells me.

At first glance, I loved it. I loved it because of the feeling it gave me while driving up to it. It reminded me of an old-time gas station. And…the closer we got, I realized it looked even more nostalgic (though the building was new).

The handle of a gas pump was the door handle.

After we had been sitting there for a while studying the menu, the waiter came over and started telling us the history of the place. He said the nearest QS&L could be found in Denver, CO. This was the only restaurant of its kind in the states of Nebraska and Iowa. The original founders opened their first store in 1974 and is based in Sharon, PA. The motor-sports themed restaurant followed the original use of the first building – a gas station. In 1988, QS&L won the title of “Best Wings in the USA” at the National Chicken Out held in Cleveland, OH.

Our waiter told us every motorcycle and car that can be seen suspended from the ceiling or on a lift can be lowered and driven away. While sitting there, we didn’t even realize they were hanging there. Funny how the brain works – or doesn’t work. The food was pretty good. I especially enjoyed the hand squeezed lemonade that made my glands hurt with the first drink. What I got frustrated with, though, were the stupid lemon seeds that kept getting stuck in my straw and created a blockage. I got pretty good at straightening out the kinks in the straw and shooting the seeds across the table.

Jim has the second of his two follow-up appointments this morning. Today, he will get another x-ray of his collarbone and chest to see how things are healing. I can’t wait to see where he wants to go for lunch today! 🙂