Marine Corps Birthday

Happy Marine Corps Birthday! Are you taking the day off? My dad, an ex-Marine, always did, or at least he always took the afternoon off. He wasn't a big drinker - he'd enjoy an Old Fashioned when he'd get home from work, and on weekends he'd indulge in an occasional beer, always a cheap brand like Pabst or Ortliebs. Anyway, though as a rule he drank in moderation, that rule was usually broken on November 10, when he'd reconnoiter with fellow ex-Marines in the South Jersey suburbs of Philly. They'd usually start with lunch at Chubby's in Camden, which usually stretched from about 12 noon to 7 or 8 pm.

I remember one year he missed dinner, much to my Mom's chagrin; when he came home, she warmed a bowl of soup for him, which he sat down to eat in the dining room. I was on the phone, one of the old style phones that was actually attached to the wall, and as I spoke I watched him fall asleep as he ate. He always used to say that my brother Mog, who is a legendarily accomplished sleeper, would make a great Marine because he could sleep standing up. And there he was - putting that Marine training to use by sleeping in a fully upright position without falling into his soup. Semper Fidelis!

As luck would have it, Dusty Eggs is down in DC from Philly, and looking to have a liquid lunch with the Hatcher. Though I was a never a Marine, I once contemplated running the Marine Corps Marathon, so I'll continue in the tradition of my dad today. I just hope they have Ortliebs on tap.