Hatch, NM: Sparky’s espresso. That’s what the sign said. It’s a famous place, and we hit it after fishing Elephant Butte for a day. Just up the road from El Paso.
After fishing, a burger at Sparky’s was in order. Hatch, itself, is allegedly famous for its annual crop of green chile. Might be a local phenomena, too. If you live around here, you know about Hatch Chile, green chile. Ken and Grace rave about Sparky’s so we stopped.
The kitschy artwork, the dive-like atmosphere, it’s perfect. I was bubbling, trying to stall before making a decision, I noticed tattoos crawling out from under her shirt, so I looked at the red-head taking the order, “What’s your birthday?”
“What does that have to do with the order?”
Exhausted from fishing, I was struck dumb.
“You have espresso? I’ll take a double shot.”
Mumble. There was a clue, in attitude, in artwork, in demeanor — red-headed Cap.
Great chili-cheese burger.
Ask for them by sign.
Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs – Marty Robbins
Recurrent Image:
My liner notes and then, the new (old) version of the image, here.
Hint: it’s a musical allusion. A reference to a song?