NORTH CAROLINA… Havelock

Havelock, North Carolina, has the distinction of being home to the largest Marine Corps Air Station in the United States, Cherry Point, NC.  It is also noted for its geographical location… equidistant between two of the premiere historically rich cities in North Carolina… New Bern to the northwest and Morehead City with Beaufort across an inlet to the east southeast.

The town does not support nor is it geared to providing outlets for major tourism.  It is a town sustained by the bi-weekly payroll of the military and civilian population.  Consequently, one is hard pressed to find entertainment or dining accommodations other than those geared to the local “conscripts”… however, The Bayside, a local restaurant is noted for its shrimp dinners.

The dinners were found to be equal in quality but not portion size to those of the famous “Sanitary” (so named to let one know that it was safe to eat there…i.e., no reports of ptomaine) in Morehead City, and costing much less.

The smokers were in abundance when we arrived … we sat in the opposite corner of  The Bayside, furthest distance available.

As I sat there I became more nervous when the waitress smiled … or gave a semblance of one … which is really hard to do when the upper teeth on the right side are missing and those remaining in front are yellowed from smoking and blackened with decay.

She obviously was not applying her tips to a dental plan.

And, the practice of spraying around the tables, and benches attached to the perimeter wall, for roaches and vermin, while we were eating prompted my stomach to let me know that it was not interested in what my taste buds were trying to tell me… visual clues tend to make me nervous.

I have since learned to stop the brain waves from reaching my stomach’s memory depository when eating at most of the local establishments … being brain dead during a meal has its advantages and disadvantages … advantage – I eat more slowly and thus finish with everyone else and refrain from voicing my opinion so I will not be told to catch the next flight to California … disadvantage – the heavily salted food lets water accumulate in my softening body.

 

Until next time … Best to all …