Blessing in Barbecue (Disguise)

We had an amazing thing happen a few nights ago. We ate at a local barbecue restaurant. (No that wasn't the amazing thing. Eating barbecue isn't exactly an amazing thing in itself.) Upon arriving at the Ozona Pig, multiple strangers showed us kindness all in the span of a few minutes. That may not seem like a big deal, but we were truly touched by the people we met at the Ozona Pig barbecue restaurant located not too far from our place.

I visited their website after my husband and I shared a delicious meal, and it was no surprise to find that their website advertises a "focus on quality [that] is rooted in our own family tradition and our commitment to our customers." The owners spent time living in Memphis (which is notorious for its incredible barbecue) and are now 'retired' in Ozona. Running a barbecue restaurant seems like a pretty great retirement to me.

Upon arriving at the Ozona Pig, we found that every table was full. We opted to wait for a table at the bar. The bartender, Bobbie, immediately introduced herself as the owner and then pointed out her husband at the end of the bar. She asked us if we had had visited the restaurant before, because she thought we looked familiar. We mentioned that we had not eaten there but had a beer outside and listened to music once. She welcomed us and gave us a little history about the restaurant and food.

Sitting at the bar almost felt like being in a scene from the bar Cheers (you know... where everybody knows your name...) The man sitting to our right was an obvious regular, and we struck up a conversation with him as well. In the short time we sat next to him, we learned his name and brief history in the service. We also learned that he loves to golf and obviously loves to eat at the Ozona Pig as well. He ordered an abundance of food to-go, because, as he seriously informed us, 'The Pig' is closed on Sundays for dinner. Bobbie sent him home with plenty of food to get him and his visitors through the rest of the weekend. Upon leaving, he informed us that we must eat the banana pudding.

Since this was our first time at the Ozona Pig, we ordered a platter featuring a little bit of almost everything on the menu. The pulled pork was delicious, the brisket tender, and the chicken fell right off of the bone. We smothered our ribs in their homemade sauces and rib rub. Not to mention, we also enjoyed every single bite of the garlic toast, baked beans, and mashed potatoes that accompanied the meal. Bobbie asked us if we had saved any room for the banana pudding, and we regretted informing her that we were stuffed. I guess there are worse problems to have than a stuffed belly. We actually even had to take some of our food home to eat at a later time.

Bobbie thanked us for stopping by the Ozona Pig, and she told us to come back again soon. Of course we thanked her for everything and told her we would indeed be back again soon.

We ate our leftovers the next evening and found a small Styrofoam container full of banana pudding. Bobbie had snuck some pudding into our to-go bag. It was a pleasant surprise, and we enjoyed every blissful bite of it. I think that all food tastes better with a little love behind it.

Do not underestimate the power you have to positively affect another life. A little kindness really does go a long way. Eating at the Ozona Pig, and making a couple of friends along the way, was exactly what my husband and I both needed at that time. We felt welcomed from the second we walked through the door, and we will certainly be back time and time again.