StephenMBauer

A sign on the wall says, "Enter as strangers, leave as friends." My employer transferred my job from New Jersey to Irving, Texas, and my wife and I stayed at the Days Inn next door for a few days, while looking for an apartment in the area. The motel and restaurant are isolated--surrounded by highways, trucking companies, and warehouses, but the non-descript Burritos y Tacos El Patron was only a few feet from the motel, the only visible retail establishment around. The ambiance is like sitting at a table at a friend's house. Most of the customers are truck drivers either staying at the motel or from one of the nearby trucking companies. The owner, who seemed to know each of the customers, is a gregarious, talkative guy, and I enjoyed interacting with him and the other customers. I am no judge of Mexican food and have no complaints about the food. My wife is from Hong Kong though, and she did like the rice and seafood. They serve beer, at $5.00 a bottle, which I appreciated since the temperature was over 100 degrees on several of the days we were there. Of the sign on the wall, it reminded me of the Irish expression, "A stranger is just a friend I haven't met yet." I'd like to go back someday.