A few years ago, or maybe on another day, I might have felt differently leaving Oak Park’s inaugural Great Food Truck Rally with a child near tears and our tummies empty.
But my expectations are different now.
Another time, I might have had an impulse to scold the organizers or seethe in line like the woman behind me waiting more than 30 minutes for cupcakes, only to be turned away because there was apparently a problem with the permit.
It’s understandable that after standing in line for that amount of time that my 9-year-old was visibly upset, ready to get away as quickly as possible before tears betrayed her thinly veiled attempts to hide her disappointment with anger.
Another day, I would have walked away the minute I saw the long lines and, a few minutes later, the favorite food trucks depart because by 1 p.m. (the rally opened at noon and was scheduled to go to 6 p.m.), they’d already sold out.
But I wasn’t upset. Sure, there I would have loved to try out 5411 Empanadas and I have no doubt my daughter would have loved whatever she picked from the menu at Cupcakes for Courage.
Instead of feeling angry or disappointed, I left happy.
Here are four reasons why:
–The event was an overwhelming success. The organizers clearly underestimated the appetite Oak Parkers have for the specialty delights offered out of the back of a truck. And I’m excited to see a future event with food truck operators more prepared for the crowds.
— It’s never a bad day when I get to see old friends. It was a bonus that I even got to fit this event into my schedule with three soccer games, a Girl Scout planning meeting, school projects and errands to run. While my daughter patiently waited in line, I gabbed with neighbors and friends, old and new.
— The shortest line was for the donuts. I know that won’t happen for me again this season. When the Farmers Market opens next week, I’ll be lucky to ever be third in line for freshly made donuts. And it was more than a consolation prize for my little one to walk away covered in powdered sugar.
— The music was free. Even though we didn’t get to eat food truck fare, the musicians were jamming, the community spirit buzzing and the company more than satisfied my appetite.
Virtual Farmgirl 