10 57 pm pst   [ Chevys ]

"Can we be here a few minutes?"

I asked him as we stood in the middle of Beverages and More, amidst endless isles of oversized alcoholic libations. I asked him so that he wouldn't have an excuse to not answer my next question.

He agreed, assuming I wished to browse for a purchase.

I faced him, pausing to command his full attention.

"Should I stay here?"

"Yes."

He answered without hesitation.

All day I had been batting around the idea. I had told my mom I was considering it. I had asked him for his opinion. We looked at it the situation from every angle. His selfish answer, his honest answer, his practical answer, his if-I-were-in-your-shoes answer, and his all-things-considered answer were all yes. When his roommate had asked me why I was leaving and I had been at a loss for answer, I had known I would stay.

I, Rachel Lindsey Rein, having no reason to leave Berkeley, am staying at least another week.

He had asked to stop at Beverages and More on the way home. We had stuffed ourselves at dinner. Come closer; I have a story to tell.

I am an obsessive type. There's no way around it. When I love something, I love that something. Restaurants are one of the best examples of this phenomenon. I like to go to the same restaurants and order whatever my favorite dish is over and over. I delight in trying new places because I am always searching for new favorites.

My current obsession is Chevys. In his grand tradition of spoiling me, Matthew agreed to take me to Chevys yesterday, though we'd already been there twice in as many weeks -- both times at my request. You see, I had found a soulmate online, and she doesn't even know it.

A Berkeley student named Kathy has a shrine to Chevys. I poured over every page of the site in a fit of giggles. I placed myself in the flan-hating group and quickly noted the most important qualities on her "Chevys Rankage" page. The best entries included:

• Impressiveness of El Machino
• Did Mark's guacamole & sour cream not come ON TOP of the lettuce?
• Notorious B.I.G.ness [being able to picture B.I.G. eating at that Chevys]

El Machino is the tortilla making machine, which each Chevys likes to flaunt. Getting the sour cream and guacamole on a separate plate, so that I can pass them on to Matthew, is of utmost importance. If they are touching my food I send it back (because I specifically specify the separate plate when I order). And then there is B.I.G., who just happens to sing my favorite rap song of all time.

Kathy has had a huge influence on me, though she does not yet even know I exist. Kathy has overall rankings for various Chevys locations. Matthew and I always dine at the Alameda location -- rated number three on Kathy's list of over forty locales. Inspired by her cataloging methods, I convinced Matthew that we had to venture to the Richmond location because it is ranked even higher than our beloved Alameda.

Not knowing where it was, we set out in the pouring rain, and after asking for directions at a gas station (the woman knew exactly where it was), we had a feast at Chevys [I always get veggie fajitas, and I can never finish them because I always stuff myself on chips and salsa and a grande strawberry margarita].

El Machino was out of order, but we had a fun time watching the balloon man in action and basking in the B.I.G.ness of the Richmond location. Kathy, thank you, and if you ever need someone to go to Chevys with you....

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