Patron Saint

My dry cleaner does a lot of business, mostly mine. I take a lot of laundry to him, and he does a pretty good job. If there is a mistake, he takes care of it right away. If I forget my coupon, he still gives me a discount.

The best thing about him, though, is the fact that he took the time to learn my name. Hell, he could charge twice as much, and I would still take my clothes to him. Why? BECAUSE HE LEARNED MY NAME. That is the hallmark of good service, and good service is very important to me.

That's also why I like Don Colorado's, a small Mexican restaurant near my office. The food is good, but the service is better. Plus, they treat me like they know me. They don't actually know my name, but hey recognize me, and they treat me well.

So, I was at Don Colorado's for lunch recently, and I noticed something strange. Most Mexican restaurants, or at least the ones around here, have an icon of St. Martin of Tours hanging over their door. In case you don't know, St. Martin is the patron saint of innkeepers, horses, and protection from poverty. He is always depicted in Roman soldier attire, riding a horse, and handing his cloak to a beggar.

His history has been thoroughly whitewahsed, but basically he was an early Roman Bishop in Gaul. Regardless, his lucky picture hangs in most Mexican restaurants. (Look for him...)

Don't, however, look for him if you have lunch with me at Don Colorado's. He isn't there. It's not that they don't have their own special saint hanging there. They do. He's just not some saint that you'll find on the Roman Catholic Church's index of Saints. No, hanging over the door at my favorite Mexican lunch spot is none other than Poncho Villa.

I knew there was a reason that I liked that place!