Moving on for a moment, a recent issue of The New Yorker had a short story by Rebecca Curtis that I kind of liked. It's called "Twenty Grand" (link is to a cached copy). I'm mentioning it because it takes place in 1979, but a significant even in the story is when the narrator wants/eats some Chicken McNuggets. Wait! I thought. McNuggets? In 1979?
While McNuggets were suggested in 1979 then "quickly invented" (according to Wikipedia), they were not (again, same source) introduced until 1983. Ha! I was right. And Ms. Curtis is wrong. And Ms. Curtis wrote an interesting piece of short fiction that was published by The New Yorker, so I guess we're even.
As a result of looking that up, I was surprised to find out there is something called a McNugget Number. It's part of "recreational mathematics," and yes, I was even more surprised to learn there is a concept out there called "recreational mathematics." How horrifying. (Read: intimidating.) This is why I will never teach math and should quit my bellyaching about having 150 essays to grade.
All of this prompted me to search for my earliest McNugget memory. I know I had them in my late pre-teensish period, but we didn't go to McDonald's very often. Not because it was a special treat or because we were health freaks (although I'm not sure I could have ever foreseen an adult life where almost every meal is either made by someone else or comes from a plastic container), but because Dad made such great hamburgers that we couldn't understand why people would eat that stuff. Even today, when I settle for all kinds of limp, tasteless food in the name of convenience, I still can't fathom it. Eightteen years of vegetarianism and I still think a "proper" hamburger is at least an inch thick. (See, I really was more insufferable and intolerant as a meat eater, I swear.)
Okay, so my earliest real McNugget memory is when I was about 16 and we lived in Sugar Land or Alief or bothish - these being southwestern 'burbs of Houston. I took dance class about a hundred thousand times per week, and I could have Taco Bell or McDonald's while I waited between classes. So, lots of honey mustard memories there. Until I started just taking the cash to Target across the street and buying sacks of (newly released?) Chewy Chips Ahoy, which I stashed in my bag with all the leotards and changes of shoes. (Tap, ballet, aerobics, and jazz for street wear.) So, clearly McNuggets do make you fat and make you exercise less. Interesting!
Speaking of fast food chix nugget memories, do you (or does anyone) remember "Kentucky Nuggets"? They were, obviously, from KFC.
They also happened to be the BEST nuggets I've ever eaten from any fast food restaurant. I loved everything about them, which is probably why they were discontinued many years ago and never brought back. :( I enjoy KFC Crispy Strips and Popcorn Chicken, but I still miss the Kentucky Nuggets.
Shari
P.S. Happy New Year! :)
Posted by: Scary Shari | 31 December 2005 at 10:33 AM