Dear Taco Bell,
On the day my parents got married in 1999, they were too busy to eat at the wedding, so after it was over and they had said “I do,” they left to find a place to eat and decompress. They came to you. If I’m starting anywhere, I think it should be there. I’ve always had this over-the-top, unabashed love for you, and maybe that comes from the fact that you were home to the beginning of a great love story for my family.
My first memory of you was when I was around six years old. We had only recently moved to a new town, and everything was new at that time. When we visited you, I tried my mom’s food, and from then on, I had the same order every time. It was too good to ever consider changing.
Fast forward 7 years, and I was babysitting for the first time. It was quite the night: I had to call my mom because I didn’t remember how to change a diaper, and everything was different from what I had imagined it would be. Overall, the night was a success, so to celebrate, we went through your drive-through. That’s one thing I appreciate about you. Unlike other fast-food restaurants, you are always open when I need you to be: late.
There were many other late-night visits, especially in the past couple of years. Delayed flights led to late-night arrivals, and with nothing else open, we’d go to you. And then there was the concert my sister and I went to in Detroit, where we came to you after the evening’s festivities. Nothing else was open, but even if they were, know that you are always my first choice.
My love for you is something special. And it’s about so much more than the food (although that definitely helps). It’s about the fact that it’s my special place with my sister and my mom. It’s the place I stop on road trips or on the way home from work… okay, okay, I work online, but I would stop on the way home from work. The point is, you represent so many things to me, and none of them are bad. I’d be hard-pressed to think of a memory with you that’s bad enough to tarnish our relationship.
My life has been a great many things, but it has never been without you. That’s special, I think. While I grew up and seemingly everything else changed, you never did. I mean, sure, there were phases – I think everyone’s had a Dorito taco phase – but all these years later, it’s nice to know that you’re there, and always will be there, waiting to comfort me when I need it.
With love and taco sauce,
Katie