April 17, 2007 - Tuesday
Current mood: melancholy
About a month ago I purchased a variety of Healthy Choice meals in a (vain) attempt to begin eating healthier and consequently, losing the "i-don't-want-to-tell-you-how-much-weight-i've-gained-since-college" pounds. I thought I had consumed all of these gourmet delicacies, but much to my surprise (or chagrin, depending on how you look at it), I found one last Healthy Choice meal in the freezer the other day, as I was attempting to scoop the remainder of the ice from our ice bucket. Fiesta Chicken: Tender grilled chicken pieces drizzled with tangy Fiesta sauce, and zesty Mexican vegetables, with creamy, warm apple crisp for dessert. The picture actually looked like frozen chicken segments covered in brown gravy with corn and black beans and a bite of freezer burnt apple crisp to wash it all down.
Not wanting to be a waster, I brought this scrumptious meal with me to work yesterday. 12:00 rolled around and I decided I was hungry for real Mexican food. I opted to go downstairs to the Mexican restaurant and to eat my Healthy Choice meal Tuesday (today) instead. Well, today at noon, I decided that since I had Mexican food yesterday, I really didn't want that Fiesta chicken. I wouldn't want to have Mexican food two days in a row. I was going to go downstairs to the gourmet sandwich shop on the bottom floor of my building, but as I stepped outside into the perfect, sunny, crisp spring air, I decided I would rather walk a block and a half to Quiznos.
Before moving to Nashville, I had never eaten at Quiznos before. I don't believe there were any Quiznos readily available to me in Decatur and besides that, I considered myself more of a Subway girl. I preferred the autonomy of creating one's own sandwich out of the smorgasboard of toppings directly on the other side of that plexiglass.
But then I moved to Nashville and one nervous trip to Quiznos with my cousin forever changed my life. I fell in love with the Cabo Chicken Sandwich.
Tender and juicy slices of grilled chicken smothered in a zesty, but not too spicy chipotle mayonnaise, topped with lettuce, onion, bacon pieces, melted cheese and a schmearing of guacamole on your choice of white or wheat (wheat is better). Somehow in a cosmic, molecular miracle, the parts that needed to be warm remained warm, while the parts that were cold stayed cool. Oh, this sandwich was to die for.
I believe I have probably consumed approximately one Cabo Chicken sandwich per week since that fateful September evening. Never have I even considered sampling a different Quiznos concoction. I'm a faithful lover...in sandwiches and in life.
But today, as I approached the counter (I have also become an expert orderer at Quiznos. I know precisely which items need to be mentioned and in what order they need to be spoken...but that is neither here nor there.), as I proudly uttered my statement, beautifully, eloquently and perfectly executed, "I would like a Regular Cabo Chicken on Wheat, please." the lady behind the counter coyly grinned, and said, "I'm sorry ma'am. We don't serve the cabo chicken anymore."
The entire restaurant silenced and watched to see what I would do. How would I handle this tragedy? I had watched my world come crashing down at my feet in an instant.
I had one remaining hope for my Cabo Chicken that day. One shred of possiblity that I might still be able to get the sandwich I wanted....perhaps she was joking. I smiled back in my disbelief and said in a low, serious tone, "Oh no (pause) Are you serious?"
"Yes," she replied as she pointed at the overhead menu board, "whole new menu."
I didn't care about that new menu board. I hadn't so much as glanced at it since last September.
I just stared at it, buggy-eyed, in shock and uncertain of my next move as the line was progressively becoming longer and more impatient with every passing moment of indecision.
"Well, I guess I'll try....ummmm....uhhhhh.....I don't know......the mesquite chicken then." All I really wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry.
The nice sandwich lady reassured me that the mesquite chicken was a very good sandwich and I would not be disappointed. She could even put some of their special Batch 51 sauce (or whatever it's called) on my sandwich and add some guacamole to make it seem more like a Cabo.
"Well, okay," I begrudgingly replied. I didn't know what else to do. What else could I do? My perfect sandwich had been discontinued.
Sensing my despair, the lady yelled to the sandwich creator at the opposite end of the line, "We're going to make this into a Cabo chicken, Ron...okay?"
And so I proceeded in the line, looking down at the floor, just shaking my head. How could Quiznos have done this to me?
The man who operates the cash register knows me and he knows that I come in there once every week and order my regular Cabo Chicken on wheat. He looked at the sullen expression on my face and said, "What are you having today?" I could tell by his tone he was trying to lighten my spirits....but how could he expect to lift my spirits with a casual conversation when his company had just robbed me of the one thing in life I truly loved? I looked at him, tears gathering in my eyes, and said, "Oh. I don't know. I guess it's the Mesquite chicken or something like that." He apologetically consoled me, "I'm sorry. You can't have your Cabo Chicken anymore, can you?"
I tried to remain chipper, but I'm sure he could see the gloom in my demeanor. "Yeah. I guess not. They changed the menu on me."
"Well. We've had a lot of people disappointed that they can't get that sandwich anymore." His last comment gave me a faint glimmer of hope. Something to hold on to for the future. Perhaps if enough people voiced their disapproval and subsequent outrage over the death of this edible masterpiece...perhaps then Quiznos would bring back the Cabo Chicken.
And so my friends, companions, fellow travelers on this journey called life...I am requesting one act on behalf of the Cabo Chicken.....I beseech you, please follow this link and fill out a form requesting the return of the Cabo Chicken. Let them know that what they have done to the Cabo is unacceptable and that they should bring it back forthwith.
CLICK HERE TO BRING BACK THE CABO CHICKEN
Currently listening : Blues to the Bone By Etta James Release date: 08 June, 2004
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