I met Junior when I moved to Albuquerque after graduating from Emporia State in 1995. I was working at a bank in East Albuquerque and he was running a sporting goods store across from the bank. He and his wife Brenda were in town a few days and craving a good steak. I call Twenty for a recommendation and he proclaims - "Fleming's brother. It is the best place in town."
As the three of us enter Fleming's - Junior says, "I can already tell this place is going to be good." The foyer walls are mahogany and the floor is shiny marble, "Oh yeah, I knew Twenty wouldn't steer us astray. Man, this place is nice." The hostess leads us to our booth. We take our seats and order drinks. As I glance the menu a pork chop dish catches my eye. Junior & Brenda order the filet mignon and T-bone, respectively.
"The show is airing tonight and we are expecting another rush of business. It happens every time it airs." The two of them own a beef jerky company in Albuquerque. The business has been featured a number of times on episodes of Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmer, "This will be the fifth time they have aired it and every time they do it makes our website go nuts. We really are having a good run of things lately." Junior has been at his jerky business for nine years now, and the results are there to prove it.
The waiter brings the food, we take our time eating - "Do you remember the time Navy asked me why I always wore the same clothes?" Their oldest son Navy - who was in second grade at the time is now an Ivy League graduate currently pursuing a Master's. "I remember what I told him after he asked me that. I told him I was too poor to afford new clothes." - We share a hearty laugh as I take another bite of asparagus.
"How is your family doing?" Brenda asks. "Every one is good. Dad & Sharon are in Arizona full time and Cammie was just here. She lives in Florida and is doing fine. Jamie is doing well. His daughter Emily will be a freshman at UMKC and Makayla is a freshman in high school." I ask if they are ready for their daughters wedding next month - "Ready as we are ever going to be," is the answer. "Jeez," I say with hint of laughter, "I remember when McKenna was knee high to a grasshopper and look at her now. A beautiful lady who just graduated from college and is now getting married. Where did all the time go?"
After finishing the entrée, the waiter suggests a desert - "Give us the chocolate lava case," he then looks directly at me and says, "You are going to have to skip dessert because your chin is already one too many." I smile and turn to Brenda, "You know something. He really enjoys insulting me," she laughs heartily and says, "I know. It is good therapy for him. He says you are an easy guy to insult."
We drop Brenda off at Caesar's and go for a cruise around town - "In no less than three years time you will be looking at the grandest stadium in the world," I say to him as we drive by an empty lot slated to be the new home of the Raider's in 2020. We turn away from the future stadium site on Hacienda and are now headed west back to the condo - "Michael Jackson use to live there," I add as I point at a gated mansion on the corner of Hacienda & Durango, "He rented it from a sheik."
"What is the deal with Chinatown? What did Cammie think of it?" He asks in between sips of beer at the condo - "I think it overwhelmed her to be honest with you. She did tell me that she understands what I am talking about when it comes to putting them online." We finish our beers and it is time for him to leave - "Thanks for everything," I tell him as he is leaving, "I haven't had a meal that nice in a long while. It reminded me of the Palm in New York City. It has been twelve years since I was last there. So thank you again for the meal brother, and I will keep you updated on Chinatown." He smiles and says - "It was my pleasure. I will be seeing you again in a few months."
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