So You Won't Have To

There are a couple of things that New York City's Upper West Side is justly famous for: bagels, strollers, and smoked fish. Zabars, Fairway, if you're interested in some hand-sliced salty fish, you got what to choose from. Unless you're my mom. Because my mom comes to the Upper West Side packing. For an overnight stay, she brings her pillow and she brings her own fish. It doesn't really matter to her that Zabars is 10 minutes away. She can "save us" the hassle of buying fish there, and so she gets fish in Providence, where I grew up, packs it in a cooler, and drives it, what, 250 miles. Or so.

Don't get me wrong, I'm appreciative. I like lox no matter where it comes from or how long it's traveled. I understand her impulse. She's the mom, she brings the food. She's taking care of us. I get that. I mean, I also secretly believe that she believes the fish from Providence is just as good and sliced just as well sa anything at Zabars. I don't know if that's true. but it is good salmon. I just think it's, you know, funny, that of all things to bring to me on the Upper West Side, my mom brings smoked fish.

So we won't have to.