Gas City

Yeah, you read that title correctly. Gas City is the "city" that is right next to the "town" of Upland Indiana, where my new College, Taylor University regretfully resides in the middle of absulutely nothing but critically acclaimed "God-Forsaken landmassed enhabited by none other than the residents of Taylor".

My mom and dad drove me down to Taylor, and we are currently lounging in a Holiday Inn in Gas City. (I apologize about the two awkward "Ins" that were right after each other). Move in day starts tomorrow at 9am. So, in the meantime, we decide to "expore the expanses" of the great mass that is Gas City.

If you cannot audibly hear the sarcasm dripping off each word, then you need to crank up your speakers. Gas City has: Mcdonalds, Burger King, Taco Bell, Subway, Starbucks, like 10 gas stations, about 5 semi truck washing stations, a Walmart distribution center (no Walmart though), Big K, Dollar store, a few Chinese joints, and a couple steak houses and local restaurants that you can smell from the highway... and no, that was not a "Yum, where's that delicious home-cooking smell coming from?"
It's more like: "Dang, is there a slaughter house near here?"

I exaggerate, of course. But, I am from the suburbs. And by suburbs I mean that I am 15 minutes from one of the largest malls in America, 5 minutes from another mall, and 25 minutes away from downtown Minneapolis. But, now I am in Gas City, the residence that starts with: "Don't move here".

Yeah. I'm sure i'm going to adore Taylor. But, it's just starting to sink in that i'm moving to the center of cornfeilds and scary family owned businesses with 13 year old servers.


The drive over the Indiana went well. I slept 7 hours at the beginning, so it felt like a quick trip (haha, yes, that's also the name of a gas station. Unintentional pun, i'm so witty, aren't I?)

Story time. 3 years ago, little 15 year old version of me visited Forte Wayne to see the secondary campus of Taylor University. While there, I ate the most AMAZING burger i've ever set my lips upon. It was like making out with heaven. But it was edible and was covered in sweet BBQ sauce and was only 14.99 and came with fries. Compared to the place where we will go after dying...

If you don't already know me too well, I am a burger connisoure. I try all the burgers around and compare the greatness in attempts to find the best burger. Since that spring evening when I was 15, i've had some incredible burgers, but none compare to that amazing hunk of beef on the heaven-kissed bun with deep fried onions, fresh crunchy pickles, sweet BBQ sauce, fresh tomatoes, green lettuce, melted cheese, and gorgeous fries that would make France press charges.

So, on the way to Taylor today, my parents, being awesome like they are, decide to take me there to fulfill 3 years of tormented searching for an equally mouth-watering treat as that mystery burger was.

When we got to Forte Wayne, and we arrived in the same mall-area as we were 3 years ago, it dawned on us that we had NO idea what the name of the place was. After much searching, we settled on 3 possibilities, and I walked into them... none of them looked like it. It was then that we noticed the closed restaraunt between the 3 possible burger joints... my heart sank... no great burger for Ben after 3 years of waiting to taste the piece of heaven that has haunted my palate since I was but a wee chap.

We decided to eat at another place. Then my dad asked the waitress about the closed restaurant. She told us that it was a Mexican place, and before that it was another Mexican place... it was then that we realized that the burger joint was still in the mall, but we just didn't find it.

I decided to look no further to keep the intreague. The burger may await me. It may not. But, Ben will continue searching for his stomach-mate...