Just a few days before my daughter goes off to college. Her best friend and basketball running mate has her first home soccer home game at the University of Connecticut. I agree to go with her. My not so secret agenda so I hit a new hot dog place. It is pouring rain with an unremitting forecast. I am undeterred. Thanks for taking me even in the rain, my daughter says. No problem. That's my job.
My daughter ordered a Baked Bean Dog, while I get a Mexicali Dog and a plain dog. While the young college girl behind the counter is heating the dogs on their roller grills, I read the menu and realize I should have ordered the Coney Dog with the special meat sauce. I ask her if it is okay and how much extra it will be. She say's don't worry, she'll just put the sauce on gratis. Saved me $1.00. Good thing I gave her a 20% tip when she rang our order up.
While waiting we play tick tack toe. Each of the tables has a game, ours is tick tack toe. I never lose at this game, I say. My daughter is of the computer/video game era, I am from the old days when tick toe was played for hours on chalk boards and with pencil and paper. She goes first, playing the 0s. I successfully block here. Then my turn. QuiK Victory.
The dogs arrive. The Mexicali Dog is great. It contains: Cilantro Lime Slaw, Mexican Corn Salsa, Shredded Cheese, Chili Lime.
The special meat sauce dog is not so good. It tastes like dried hamburger on a hot dog.
The baked bean dog is okay. My daughter likes hers. Tastes like baked beans on on a hot dog to me. Better than the special sauce.
We head out to the soccer game in the pouring rain. Fortunately, our seats are under an overhang. I sit next to Zoey's friend's grandfather. He and I have sat through many games together overt the years both basketball and soccer. He loves my daughter and loves that she and his granddaughter are such good friends. They were even voted Best Buds in their high school yearbook. His granddaughter is announced as one of the starters. He apologies for the tears in his eyes.
The game ends in a hard fought 0-0 tie. The Mexicali dog, I can still taste its exotic flavors It never even occurred to me to see if they sold hot dogs at the concession stand.
We get in the car. It is dark and rainy and my daughter drives because I don't see so well anymore in the dark and rain. "I could go for another hot dog," my daughter says.
I love my daughter.
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Nickki's serves Kayem hot dogs. The Storrs location which we visited opened in 2025. Their original location is in nearby Putnam, where they have been since 1980.