As I bask in my soledad ganada, I’ve been inviting various flames of my inflamed past out for various meals, mostly as a way of finding out where the relationship went wrong. The sad thing is that I have such a great time hanging out with them that I forget about finding out the hows and whys and, instead, happily learn how they’re doing in their life since. That seems mature, right?
Recently, Kathy, an ex-girlfriend from a couple of mildly infamous years ago, and I made an easy-going drive across Oklahoma City to Super Tortas 'El Chavo', 721 SW 29th, a Mexican sandwich shop that I had selfishly tried to keep to myself for far too long, only recently deciding to share it with not only her, but the rest of the unknowing city on the other side of Reno Avenue.
Large menu in hand, running through their long list of celebrity tortas featuring names like William Levy, Ninel Conde and, of course, El Chavo, I went after a cantante I was listening to that very morning, Juan Gabriel with, of course, the La Juan Gabriel Torta ($10.50), firmly packed onto El Chavo’s very own seeded bread that makes up half of the torta’s espectacular taste.
The other part of this sándwich famoso was made up of chorizo, salchicha para asar, cebolla asada, queso fresco and jalapenos, none of which was held back in moderation. As each cut-up slice of the Mexican meat seared my trach-marked throat—and that bread, that perfect bread!—a part of me almost made the grand decision and oblivious commitment to come here once a week and try every torta on the menu.