Living in the Midwest, BBQ is a food group and a hobby. I’ve shared before that Tony loved to smoke and had a BBQ team. He also shared that love with others and built a community of competitors. One of the people he drew into that world was his boss.
A few weeks ago, his old boss reached out to me after finishing a competition nearby. He wanted to know if he could bring us the leftovers he cooked on the way home. During a contest, you make extra in case something doesn’t turn out right. By the time the winners are announced, you are burned out on BBQ.
However, I still wasn’t prepared for the mountain of deliciousness headed our way. He brought us shredded pork, ribs, chicken, sausage and brisket. The kids and I were transported back in time as we sampled it all for dinner that evening. We compared what we had to what Tony used to make. Over four years have passed, but they still know what their favorite of dads was.
I thanked the boss for the bounty and asked how he did at the contest. Turns out, he won! It was our favorite competition that we participated in every year. So of course, the boss thought of the kids and me. Because one of the people he would have wanted to reach out to most to share his success was Tony. They were always sharing results, tricks and recipes. Feeding my family and sharing his success with me, was the closest he could get to texting Tony the good news.
