Richard Pilling And Fish And Chips

I have a lot of fond memories of Uncle Richard. He was in his mid to late twenty's when I was in my tweens, and I remember many a road trip with him, in that old, beat-up truck he used to drive.

He would often ask me if I wanted to take a ride with him while he ran an errand. I always jumped at the chance. There was always someplace interesting that he was going, and he had a great sense of humor.

Once, after helping someone get rid of an old refridgerator, Uncle Richard asked me if I wanted to get something to eat. We had worked up a bit of an appetite, loading and taking an old refrigerator to the Calgary landfill, so I said yes.

He took me to Captains Fish and Chips. It was the first time I had ever gone to a fish and chip restaurant (in fact, it may have been my first sit-down restaurant ever). The malt Vinegar, deep-fried halibut, tartar sauce, steak-cut fries ... being my first time eating fish and chips, it was like ambrosia from heaven to my unsophisticated palate.

Thinking about Uncle Richard's passing reminded me of that special moment, where he and I sat together, in a dingy little restaurant, drinking our colas and eating our fish and chips. Two boys enjoying a little piece of culinary heaven.

Unbelievably, 30 years later, that restaurant still occupies the same little corner of an unassuming little strip mall in Brentwood Village, right beside where the old Consumer's Distributing storefront used to be.

My dear Uncle Richard: I will go to that restaurant, have a plate of fish and chips, and remember all the good times I had with you.