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The Big Sneeze: Hub reminisces on an incident in eatery
ROY Hubbard may 2017
Roy Hubbard is a retired former Green Beret. He lives in Richmond Hill

The wife and I went to La Nopalera for one of their delicious frozen margaritas.

The push had just started for social separation.

Social separation had not quite reached the level of me having to avoid the best frozen margarita this side of the Border! Armed with 99% germ killing wipes we found a corner table where it was impossible for anyone to sit within about 8 feet of us.

We took all the precautions. Wiped down everything in reach.

A group of about 10 or 12 ladies showed up, filtering in by twos and threes. They took over a long table near us. I thought about the rule for no gatherings over ten or something like that. One lady was sitting at the end of the table nearest me and facing me but still about twelve feet away.

Once the table filled she made a general and loud statement, “The doctor said I was not quite well enough to get out but here I am!”

Ok! That generated a moment of silence and a few wary looks!

Next, she sneezes! Sort of halfway into her hand.

Not fast enough for full coverage.

Conversation at the table stopped. The lady sitting across from the sneezer sort of pushed back on her bench. Then the offender coughed! The cover up hand again.

Missed again.

Dead silence at the table and the lady across from her was pushed so far back she was now chancing falling off the bench. Then the nose wipe!

No tissue! Back of her hand!

I could see the wetness. The lady across from her was now in a semi-fetal position like she was avoiding someone swinging at her head.

She was fishing in her purse and came up with a container of something that she pushed across the table in an offering to the sneezer. Her movements in attempting to offer the mystery bottle to the sneezer were sort of in the same style you would use when attempting to feed an alligator. If the offender had coughed or sneezed right at that moment I am sure the offended would have done a fast roll right off that bench.

The sneezer refused the medication! She did so by shoving the container back across the table. It never moved again. Who the heck was going to touch it!

We were done with our drinks and left.

By the way. Do you know where the name “La Napolera” comes from? I asked the waiter. He had a picture! There is a desert cactus, a small one with lots of teddy bear shaped ears full of thorns. It is a source of food and water in the desert! I just read a very important speech made by a very powerful politician that I found interesting.

I call it the: “Quote of Centuries” He said: “The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed. People must again learn to work instead of living on public assistance.” lest Rome become bankrupt! Cicero, 55 BC!

History does repeat itself.

Savannah native Roy Hubbard is a former Green Beret and longtime resident of Richmond Hill. He has long been active in local environmental issues and wrote a much enjoyed column on growing up in Savannah. We are glad he’s back writing again. You can reach him at skipperhubp2025@ comcast.net.

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