Return to the Mack

Anna is in love and it’s not with her husband. The maternal feelings have taken control and I don’t see them letting up in her lifetime. That said, convincing her to grab lunch at a local St. Pete Beach hotspot for Mexican took all the energy that the three men in her life (brother Brian, father Doc Brian and husband Reph) could muster. The mustering was successful because it was conceived (pun intended) from the combination of genuine love and persistence.

So, let’s set the scene on a Sunday morning at 10:30 by answering some questions...

1. To where are we going and why? – VIP’s Mexican restaurant for lunch and the most heavy-handed Tequila poured Margarita’s in town.

2. How are we getting there? – White knuckle paranoia Doc B as the designated driver. Yes, you read that correctly. That is a testament of a father’s love.

3. Who is going to watch Mack? – Grandmama Nance. She’s the reason why we could convince Anna to leave her son for the first time in a time period of over two minutes.

4. What was the setting at VIP’s at 10:45 on a rainy morning? – Let’s just say the first two songs playing as we sat down were Travis Tritt’s It’s a Great Day to Be Alive and Bob Seger’s Night Moves. Enough said.

5. How was the food? – Doc was big on ordering the shrimp pizza as an appetizer and it didn’t disappoint. There were twenty pieces of shrimp over top a layer of refried beans with pico and cheese. It quickly turned from appetizer to my meal. Anna and Chris both ordered tacos which also looked legit.

6. How were margaritas? – Strong and delicious. Chris, Anna and I each had two and were thirsty for a third but were overruled by the palpable departure anxiety from Doc.

7. How bad was Anna’s separation anxiety? – I think it wasn’t as bad as expected and she learned something from the anti-catastrophic ending. My analysis is partly tainted by wishful thinking.

8. Would all parties view the trip as a success? Yes, with exception of the creeped-out waitress.

Family and memories at St. Pete Beach.