mammarymemories

Oh, yes, I worked with Norman. He was the manager, and possibly the owner. Although I didn't much care at the time, so I'm not sure exactly his role. He and the other managers would spend a lot of time out in the office, which was a tiny hovel of a building in the parking lot. Did you work there too?

Wow, I was waxing nostalgic for my wayward youth and the old Austin scene and decided to look up Mad Dog & Beans. So much fun to see so many posts about the place. I worked there for 3 years, charred the hell out of some burgers and mixed up the thickest cookies and cream shakes and malts the mixer could handle! I still love and refer to the "Poultrygeist," a marinated grilled chicken bosom sandwich, topped with guacamole (freshly made onsite every morning). Pair that with onion rings and a Shiner Bock, and the picture is complete. Does anyone else remember the 'Geist? The parking guys were always running small side scams, and I once was witness to a near street brawl in the parking lot at night, complete with drunken frat boys who brandished a broken beer bottle in their best Westside Story imitation. The manager scolded them to drop it, which they gratefully did, as I suspect there was no real intent to slice anyone up. Oh, the innocence! But the crew at Mad Dog's was such a fun gang to work with, including members of several local bands such as Poison 13 and Zeitgeist. Loved going to see Scratch Acid, Ha Ha, and the Butthole Surfers at the Continental Club and other dives. Rick Linklater used to stop by Mad Dog's on the regular, and all the people in his first film did as well. Great times, formative years, but I ultimately had to leave Austin in the late 1980s after 5 years of college with no degree in sight! I moved to Richmond VA, got on with adulthood. I think RVA is smaller than Austin these days, without the relentless influx of startups and TikTokers. When I mention that I lived in Austin back in the day, people are always impressed for some reason! Maybe because I had the strength of will to move away, even with the vortex sucking people back... but in my opinion it's sometimes best to keep one's college town in the rearview mirror... The memories will live on though, and I love to visit!!