THE BEST BURGER EVER

*This short story was sent in by Brian Nunez. Brian is a hot rodder/builder that has put together some really neat cars over the years. You can find him here:

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This story is about a cherished childhood memory that just happened to take place in a beautiful 1967 Chevrolet pickup. Enjoy!*

Here is what Brian has to say: 

The year was 1997 and I was 6 years old. Why my older brother was not with us or why I was not in school that day I don’t remember, what I do remember is my dad and I being alone together was a rare occasion and this quality time had me on cloud 9.

My dad and I were in his 1967 Chevy pick up that was freshly restored. The bed was filled with a recently purchased convertible top for the 66 Impala he was restoring and heading down to exchange it since they had given him the wrong color.

On our way we came across a Sonic Burger which was a drive-in style restaurant that I recall being new to California or at least to my dad. My dad was not one to enjoy fast food let alone a burger but given that we were in his midcentury truck he felt it was appropriate to enjoy a midcentury drive-in restaurant experience. We parked, the cute girl rolled up to the window and he ordered a single hamburger for me.

I recall the experience like it was yesterday, my dad grabbing the burger, exposing half of it by folding the wrapping paper back giving the last fold that extra little firm tug to communicate to me that it was ready to go. My 6-year-old belly was getting full when I looked at my dad while chewing my last bite and gave him a look that I was done. Being old fashioned he couldn’t let it go to waste, so he took a bite. His eyes opened, eyebrows lifted, and lips lightly tightened as he chewed and gave off a reassuring joyful mmm and finished the burger.

Today I am 31, and in my lifetime, I can count on one hand the total number of burgers he has eaten, none which made him react the way he did at that drive-in. I have now taken ownership of “dads truck” and I can confirm I still get that warm, secure feeling any time I take it out for a drive and take the first bite of my burger.