A crisp night, 10pm, December of 2008 in a mostly vacant Lowe’s parking lot just outside of LA. The awkward three musketeers met up — myself and two old friends. Jackson, tall and pale, was reluctant to line up for a taco, but Bryant pulled his cigarette out of his pocket and lit it. “Trust me, this food truck is a cultural icon, it’s huge.” At this juncture he was the only local expert. Jackson and I had moved away to four-year universities while Bryant stayed. When the headlights of the Kogi truck emerged, the line of us that stretched around a block lit up with anticipation; I knew I would remember this night. Sweet, tangy warmth of the kalbi danced on my tongue with the vibrant, crunchy kimchi slaw all wrapped up in the familiarity of a corn tortilla. We laughed on the hood of Bryant’s beat up Nissan. #IconicTacos
[150 words]
by Gabi Esser
Table Tales - 150 word stories 