This time last weekend, I was laying in a hospital room with an IV stuck in my wrist. The diagnosis was diverticulitis, the big bad wolf version of tummy aches. My sigmoid colon was so infected that it had swollen shut, so nothing was passing through. I first felt ill shortly after working on a behind-the-scenes shoot Thursday night. I told my DP and audio guy that I couldn’t wait to get home after the shoot. My stomach was tight after snacking all day on popcorn and cashews. Healthy alternatives to chips and candy when you must snack, I believed. The show producers hired a food truck to serve free burgers and fries to the cast and crew. The guys were smashing down on the delicious burgers and telling me how good they were. I’ll just get one to go, I thought. I ordered a turkey burger and fries. Fresh off the grill later, my order came up. I opened the to go container to eye my prize. The smell of burger washed over my face like it was the smell of gastro-heaven! I sat down with my crew, and before I committed myself, I asked them,”Is it really that good?”
“It’s one of the best burgers that I’ve ever eaten, which is saying a lot for a veggie burger,” said the vegetarian cameraman.
“This beef one is awesome,” tweaked the wiry soundie.
Those validations became my reason to at least have one bite of the turkey wonder chillin’ under the lid of my to-go basket.
5 hours later…
(To be continued.)
