El Gallo

It is 1964, I am 18
Bicycling across San
Antonio to El Gallo’s
Mexican restaurant,
Ravenous for Mex-Tex.
I swing past Thomas
Jefferson HS then on
Across Fredericksburg
Road on Hildebrand past
San Pedro, the zoo and on
To Broadway south of
Earl Ables’ to El Gallo’s.
I am sweating through my
Shirt as chips and salsa are
Set before me along with
A gordita fried corn cake
The size of a 50 cent coin,
Followed by dirty rice with
A rich meat sauce of bits of
Beef, I take a tortilla chip scoop
Up some salsa then trench
Some rice and beef sauce all
Smelling of comino and chiles
And taste the glory of Mex-Tex.
I made this bike ride many times
On the way to the Broadway
Theatre, Fort Sam Library, and art
Museums living in an Hispanic
City I learned to cherish.
When President Ford visited
San Antonio he tried to eat a
Tamale in front of 100,000
Mostly Hispanic faces but did
Not know to take off the
Wrapper first to exploding laughter.
The mayor showed him how but
Mexican food was still a
Rarity to the middle class
White palate in America.
Now it is as American as pizza or
Chicken chow mein or any of the
Other foods that bind our nation
Together as one society
Founded on the principle
That all food should be
Fried, spicy or finger foods.
The Great American picnic
Goes on today making
This the best place on
Earth to eat and live
Because God so
Loves diversity.