Every now and then Traveler Nell and I like to pain the town red, or at least a robust shade of pink.  So when an old friend of hers came to town for an art gallery opening we decided to take the opportunity to eat out for a change.

Traveler Nell in front of the Famous Katz's Deli

The place we decided on was the famous Katz’s Delicatessan.  For those of you who are not aware, this is the restaurant from When Harry Met Sally… in which Meg Ryan’s Sally appreciated her meal inordinately.

Now I have dined at Katz’s thrice previously.  Once when wandering alone in my early days in New York City.  The second time with my father in 2000 on the occasion of his first visit to Traveler Bill Towers.  The last time was with a friend in 2007, right before I entered the hospital for my surgery to continue my  gradual transformation into a Human/Bovine/Cyborg Amalgam.

But Nellie has never eaten at Katz’s.  She told me that once before she went there but upon witnessing the scene inside, she turned right around and opted for the Yonah Schimmel’s Knishery down the block on Houston St.  If you’ve never been to Katz’s you might not be prepared for the chaos that is the cutter lines.  We decided to each get a corned beef sandwich (I opted to get mustard on mine) and share a matzo ball soup.  Nellie secured a table while I waited in line, so I dropped off our sandwiches and headed to get our drinks.

What I saw when I returned leveled me like a McGill University student slugged me in the stomach.  Traveler Nell has put, NAY smothered her corned beef sandwich in ketchup…ketchup! I thought I have reconciled Traveler Bill’s Yankee sensibility with Traveler Nell’s Aussie nuttiness.

And I have.

I would no sooner desecrate a delicious corned beef sandwich with, as she says, tomato sauce.  But as long as she doesn’t foist such an abomination on my palate, I am perfectly happy to let her ruin her meal if it makes her happy.

We’re like a regular Joan Wilder novel.

How an Australian ruins a sandwich