{Issue 5} But I Didn’t Want Two Meatballs
If you are over the age of thirty, you may have fond memories of $5 subway footlongs. My order was turkey (add chipotle mayo); over-the-counter meatballs intrigued me, but I never took the leap.
15 years later, I’m 7 months pregnant, and at an architecture event. The catered lunch is Subway. Meatball Sub, my brain says. The food arrives and I devour this thing. “Meatball sub still hits!” I say outloud. The lady next to me gives me a judgy look.
A year after that, there is a brand new subway less than a mile from my home. “Meatball sub,” Brain says. I go inside and my heart sinks. The menu has been “gen-z-ed”, and the Meatball Sub is gone. In its place is “The Boss,” which is a meatball sub with pepperoni.
“The boss, no pepperoni please,” I say.
“No problem,” the sandwich lady says.
“So far so good,” Brain says.
“Oh, since you didn’t want the pepperoni, I added two extra meatballs for you”
But I didn’t want two meatballs, says Brain.
Shut up and be grateful, I say to Brain.
I take a bite out of my sandwich and two red hot meatballs fall on my brand new powder blue sweatshirt. The stain is still there.
I’m annoyed. As predicted, 4 meatballs is the perfect number for a 6” sub; 6 is two too many, plain and simple.
What I’m trying to say is, at Poiema Architecture, we won’t give you two extra meatballs. Unless you really want two extra meatballs, then by all means, I’ll add it to your drawing. If you don’t, we won’t. We take listening very seriously, we don’t make assumptions, and we respect the classics.
Until next time,
Your architect,
Lina
