So as I was driving home from atlana (yes, my town is so awesome hat I must drive 4 hours to get a flight to st louis), I decide that I’m not ready to dive right back in and accept the fact that there just aren’t any good roads in the lower half of Alabama. So I think to myslf, “maybe I’ll just drive all the way to Montgomery. I can stop at panera (st louis bread co. to me. That’s it’s real name. I have no idea why they changed the name everywhere else.), get some REAL bagels (those worthless imitation bagels from Atlanta bread company are nothing more than bagel-shaped bread. Seriously, I’m a true st louisan. – honorary Jew – I ate my lox every Sunday, and on the days in between, I had my everything bagel with salmon cream cheese from Bread Co. Until they went all gentile on us and stopped carrying it. Ugh—I mean Oy!)... Anyway, I know my bagels, and I haven’t seen a single one south of Montgomery Panera (except at Panera San Destin… but you get my point. Southerners cannot make bagels. They don’t have any Jew-blood in ‘em. I bet Panera San Destin has a few Jewish snowbirds I the back making bagels.). I miss Jewish people! I was at St. Louis Galleria on Rosh Hashana, and people were wishing complete strangers a “happy new year!” THAT’s what I miss. In st louis, if you live in the right area, YOU can be Jewish too! It’s not an exclusive club! You may not be invited to the most orthodox of Seders, but you can buy your neighbor’s chamatz for Passover! Everyone’s included.

Anyway, I’m way off topic. So I searched for Panera on my iPhone, and one popped up right on my original route! So hey, why not? I’ve
already seen Montgomery. I may as well check out auburn. Lovely campus, by the way. Well, I exit the highway, look to my left, and Behold! A World Market, just 2.5 hours from my house!

Well, there you go. good thing #4: Auburn, AL. A Panera and a World Market.