Pulled Pork

I had that feeling you get, that something is under your fingernail. So I pulled it out with my bottom teeth--I used to be a nail biter but no more--and said, "Hum, that's tasty...."

It tasted good in spite of the slight taste of soap. I had washed my hands after I pulled the pork from the leftovers of a pork tenderloin to make barbecue .

Pork barbecue is a comfort food for me. I grew up north of the 'Barbecue Belt'--which is not unlike the 'Bible Belt'--from Southern Virginia, the Carolina's and every thing south and south west of that, including, unfortunately, Texas. (Could we, do you think, give Texas back to Mexico? Not only would we be rid of one of the most annoying states, we'd send the Dallas Cowboys and the San Antonio Spurs out of the country. Besides Notre Dame, those are the two sports teams I hate the most.)

When we are on Oak Island, NC every September, there is a place called The Barbecue Shack where our daughter Mimi and her companion, Tim, go a couple of times. They bring home both chopped and pulled pork, slaw and sauces--a vinegar based sauce, a tomato based sauce (what we call "Barbecue Sauce") and a mustard based sauce. The pork is naked and pure, either pulled or chopped. You add the sauce.

I actually like the vinegar sauce the best. And the slaw is outstanding. (Cultural difference alert: where I come from and all places south of there, chopped cabbage and whatever else is in it, is called 'slaw'. In New England, to be understood, I have to say 'cole slaw'. For the longest time I thought I had to say "cold slaw" though I couldn't imagine for a moment why anyone would eat 'hot slaw' or even room temperature slaw. And the first time I asked someone at a hotdog place to give me a dog with chili and slaw they stared at me like I spoke Slovakian. I finally got what I wanted, but they gave me the slaw in a little cup, somehow it offended their sense of dignity to put the slaw on the hot dog--on top of the chili, in case your wondering. Where I come from, the most common hot dog has chili and slaw on it. How have I lived so long in such an alien land?)

I prefer pulled pork, others prefer chopped. Who knows? It's BBQ after all.

Comfort food is necessary because I have a procedure tomorrow which involves putting a camera, a light, a water source and a tiny tweezers into my bladder.

I'll wait a moment for any men who read this to realize what that means.....Yes, it is that horrible.

I, mercifully, won't be awake and will be fine a few hours later. But the very thought of what will be done to me tomorrow makes me weak in the knees and want to empty my bowels....

I'll let you know how it was.

Pulled pork overcomes a multitude of fears....