Author: bgibson135

I am a retired Web Developer, Blackboard & Canvas Administrator at Fayetteville State University, which is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina.

Doing the “Freddy”

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I’m not sure if it was 1964 or 1965 when our class presented a show on the auditorium stage for the rest of the school.  I don’t recall much about it except for the following:

The song, “King of the Road” by Roger Miller was popular at the time, and I wanted to be a part of the group of boys that performed it, but at some point, I was put into a secondary group that was to do “the Freddy,” a dance, that went along with the song, “I’m Telling You Now” by Freddy and the Dreamers.   The moves of the dance were sort of like flapping your arms & legs like wings (you’ll see by the video).  Well, part way through the song, I noticed that people on the front row were beginning to point and laugh.  It was then that I looked down and found that my zipper was down.  I guess my two options would have been to reach down and zip it up, or turn around and zip it up… or (only two choices?), just keep dancing… which is what I did.

This was the Swansboro Elementary Cafeteria when I was in 1st through 5th Grades.  At the center, toward the back of this photo, there is a window.  This is where we took our food trays, dirty plates, and other garbage when we were through eating.  One day we had sauerkraut with our meal.  I didn’t like sauerkraut, so I didn’t eat that, and I didn’t finish the pint of Maola milk either.  I noticed that some boys were stuffing their empty milk cartons with their sauerkraut.  This was because there was one or more teachers standing where you took your tray to make sure we had eaten all our food.

I normally would not be bold enough to try this, but this day, I stuffed the sauerkraut into my half empty milk carton and walked up toward the window.  Apparently, the sharp eyed teacher had seen me.  She looked at my tray, and then lifted my milk carton, saying something to the effect, “Oh, you need to go back and finish your milk.”  Now, I believe that she knew exactly what she was doing.

I returned to the table and tried to swallow the sauerkraut and milk mixture, but after several attempts I went back to the window and left my tray.  I still do not like sauerkraut.  I like milk… but not sauerkraut!

Marrakesh Mediterranean Cuisine

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This is the second Mediterranean/Middle Eastern/Turkish, etc. restaurant that Suzanne has mentioned to me.  The first, Urban Turban, was great and I have visited several times and the food is consistently good.

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My first visit was for lunch on Saturday.  I had the Kefta Kabob (beef & lamb), rice, tabbouleh salad, bread and iced mint tea. (Menu)  The older gentleman, I guess the owner, came out to my table to explain what was on the menu.

I loved the “shtick” and wished that the Turkish Grille in Fayetteville would mimmick the Desert Chic (Sheik).  The atmosphere was everything that pleased.  And now my review goes south.  I just didn’t like the flavor of the kefta kabob, nor the tabbouleh, and the rice (supposed to be a neutral flavor), added to the disappointment.  The iced mint tea was delicious and refreshing.  The bread, fresh out of the oven, warm and soft was good also.

Now, I don’t have broad experience in this type of food, but having tried several items at the Sherefe Mediterranean Grill, over several years, in Fayetteville, and the Urban Turban in Cary, and lunch at the Turkish Grille, I have come to think of myself as “liking” this type of food.  *I really, really like the tabbouleh salad at the Urban Turban.  I like the rice at the Turkish Grille, and they make a good Greek salad.  And, I like the Doner Kabob and salad at Sherefe.

Perhaps it was not having condiments or sauces to add to the flavor.  A squeeze of lemon for the tabbouleh salad “just didn’t make it.”  *The analogy would be the difference between a good, home-made spaghetti sauce and what you get out of a Chef Boyardee can.  The flavor just wasn’t there for me.

NOTE [03/20/23]: Apparently, I did not mention anywhere above that Marrakesh (Facebook, Wixsite, Menu)is located in Jacksonville, NC. The Urban Turban has been closed for several years now.

A few weeks ago, on Sunday, the day after we celebrated the life of James Frederick Sharpe, Jr. “Jim” a group of us, including Mary Ann, Jamie, Danny, Si, Si’s girlfriend, Ray and Jacquelyn (who was celebrating her 50 birthday) went to Marrakesh for lunch. Mary Ann had kept the location a secret, and I didn’t realize they were going to be celebrating Jacquelyn’s birthday also. I wasn’t looking forward to going to Marrakesh again because, as I had said above the food was bland.

But, to my surprise, what I had for my entrée turned out to be very flavorful. I did not enjoy the appetizer, spinach in a philo dough pastry, which was pretty flavorless… but I had ordered the Gyro Platter, with rice and a Greek Salad. The shaved lamb was delicious. The rice had good flavor and the salad was also good.