Waiting for Chiko

See that man waiting in the doorway of the milk bar?

He's got a Che Guevara t shirt on, jeans that fit and a neatly trimmed beard. He's obviously a newish import into the area. It's not just the clothes that give him away though (but seriously, why do they persist with the whole Che Guevara thing??)... what marks him out as a newbie is that he's waiting at this milk bar for takeaway food. And he's not drunk.

There is a local legend about this milk bar, which revolves around a single, solitary item from the menu- a lone chiko roll, kept in the warming tray.

You know how in Waiting For Godot, the whole storyline hinges on the fact that Godot never arrives? Well, this chiko roll never leaves.

The story goes that the chiko roll has been on display since 1973, and merely taken out once in a while and dusted before being returned to its position.* Apparently the theory is that sooner or later some sozzled idiot staggering up the street late at night will be struck by a nostalgic whim and scoff it down. And yet, no matter how legless the drunks get, they are still never befuddled enough to buy it.

I first heard of the legend of Waiting for Chiko about 6 years ago. Despite keeping an eye out whenever I walk past, however, I have yet to see anyone buying or eating a chiko roll.#

You have no idea how badly I wanted to ask this man what he'd ordered.

Not much opportunity to take photos today. Long day, helping a friend move house. A feeling of deja vu- I'm thinking maybe the summer sun triggers midlife crisis in men, because this time last year I'd just been to the funeral of a man who killed himself after walking out on his wife of 20 years for a newer model girlfriend. And I'm helping to move house now because my friend's husband of umpteen years has just walked out on her and her 1 year old child. So today's earworm, conjured up from the depths of my internal jukebox, was rather fitting.

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*I'm sure this is a complete furphy, for the record. Really.
# Of course, the other reason why I haven't seen anyone eating a chiko roll may be because they taste revolting.