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It was late May of 1988, I had just turned 15 and was riding the bus to School. On the way there was a new Burger King being built with a sign in front saying "Now Hiring". I had just come off my first (and only) school suspension for fighting. I had been home alone for a week and was getting angry and depressed. My parents made me go to a shrink because they felt this fight was a cry for help. I didn't have many friends and I was fine with that because all the friends I've had from 1st to 7th grade all moved away, and to avoid being hurt again I figured alone is the best way to be. My Shrink felt differently and told my parents and me it would be a good idea for me to get a job so I could get some better acquaintances in life. So I interviewed with a 20-something Manager named Christopher at the yellow post outside the drive-thru because they were putting the ceiling in the dining room that day. The store was going to open June 2nd. My first day would be June 6, 1988...A day still known in the history books as D-Day (Some history books have the year as 1944).

Through the past 18 years very few in my life has been consistent, 7 part time jobs, 6 Cars, 5 addresses, 4 Dogs, and my 3-year Radio Career. Not to mention all the failed relationships. The one constant however has always been Burger King. As Mel Brooks has said on many occasions, "It's Good to Be The King" and it was until January 19th, 2006. On that day the best boss I've ever had decided to sell all his stores to a Larger Franchise of BK called Heartland. But as far as anyone could tell, It should have been named Heartless. If that wasn't bad enough, I was pulled out of my Naperville store thrown to the wolves in Aurora. In Naperville, Everyone had personality, everyone enjoyed their jobs, it was a fun atmosphere, and we worked as a team no matter whether we worked days, nights, kitchen, or cash. Aurora is a Me-First Store, a That's-Not-My-Job Store, a Racially-Divided Store.

So it is with much regret that I say goodbye to the longest relationship I've ever had - 17 1/2 years of Burger King.

And Hello.....Portillo's.