When was the last time you saw one of these?

Sometimes I take a chance and get a happy surprise, and sometimes the surprise is not so happy.

I hesitate to even guess when the last time was that I saw one of these:

That's what I used to enter my motel room in Hico, Texas, just the other day -- in 2018. The rest of the motel room comes from the same era as that key, except the key is still in good shape and the room furnishings -- not so much. I don't know much about the economics of small mom-and-pop motels, but I know that some manage to be nice (like the one in Willcox, AZ) and this one is run down. I was actually surprised to see the other guests who came out of their rooms as I was leaving in the morning. Based on the motel, I expected a pretty scruffy bunch, but they all looked pretty tidy and the cars parked in the lot were recent models. Could I have gotten the ickiest room?  I suppose that's possible.

I hesitated to leave a TripAdvisor review about the motel because they were doing some things right that I appreciated, but the bottom line was that the photos I saw online led me to expect something a lot nicer, and I would have appreciated it if someone had warned me. In the end I decided to describe my experience using words -- both the bad and the good points -- and not publish the photos I took. I didn't know how long those photos would haunt them if they were published, and it's possible that they may choose to make changes based on my feedback.

On the way to Hico, I stopped in Brownwood to take a break. I was intrigued by the billboards for Underwood's, and then there it was on the side of the road, beckoning to me. When was the last time I saw a cafeteria-style restaurant (as opposed to a buffet)? The last one I can remember was when I was in college, which was around 1980. I pulled into the parking lot and considered whether I really wanted to do this thing. I decided to give the inside of the place a look. I stepped inside and it smelled wonderful, so I decided -- this was going to be lunch.

The three people in front of me in line ordered the same thing, so I asked the young man just ahead of me if this was the best thing to order. He said, "Yes, ma'am." I asked if it was the barbecued steak. Once again, "Yes, ma'am." The server said it's their top seller, and all my sides would be included in the price. The dishes they provide for the sides are small, but you fill them up for yourself and you can take as many as you can fit on your tray. Not all of the sides that I tried were exciting, but that was the best cole slaw I've had in a long time. Super crisp and fresh, with a perfectly seasoned dressing. Wasn't the best BBQ I've ever had, but it was tasty and tender.

There were servers patrolling the dining room with carts full of beverages and baskets of freshly baked yeast rolls, making sure no one ever ran out.

This was not a fancy setup or fancy food, but the restaurant knows the community it's serving and they fill their niche well.

Two throwback experiences in the same day -- one that I really enjoyed and one I was eager to be done with.