Go Fish Galvez

Well, we made it, but not in time for dinner.

It all started late on a Friday afternoon, a summer afternoon after work. Me and Crump (yes, I know, Mrs. Rune, it should be “Crump and I”), my old high-school buddy and very first roommate, found ourselves breezing along some highway near downtown Big D (little-A-double-L-A-S) in her old tan quasi-beater Buick, windows rolled down, wind in our hair, eager to start the weekend off right.

That’s when we first began tossing around ideas for that evening’s dinner and thinking about possible venues. (What, cook at the apartment? And have to serve the cockaroaches, too? Surely, you jest!)

So back and forth it went—how about Mexican? Always a favorite! Or what about Chinese? Well, who doesn’t love Chinese? No, wait a second—I’ve got it! Seafood! Oh, yeah, seafood! Now, we’re talkin’! And then the next question: But where?

Well, in the heart of dusty Dallas, there really was no good choice, not one that we could afford, anyway. Apart from old reliable, Jay’s Marine Grill (that classic if somewhat tattered family favorite, with red-lipsticked waitresses old enough to be your grandmother), where could we possibly go?

And then, the epiphany.

Why, south, of course, due south, all the way till the road runs out, all the way down to Galveston! So what if it was a five-hour drive! We spontaneous ladies weren’t about to let a little snag like that cramp our style. Not a chance!

So Crump put her clog into it, pressed the pedal to the metal and off we flew to Galveston, the first of many trips to that sunny sandbar and many happy times.

Although it was a long sit in the Buick and well into the night before we finally made island-fall, one big whiff of that salty ocean breeze made it all worthwhile.

And while we didn’t arrive in time for dinner that night, we more than made up for it the next day. After a fun-in-the-sun day spent on sandy Stewart Beach, we decided to go all out that night and treated ourselves to a truly memorable dining experience at the coolest and classiest place in town, none other than the legendary Balinese Room.

To this day, an unforgettable night out!