Back in the day my mom and I would mow lawns over the summers for extra money. My brother did it before me and the job was eventually handed down though there were times where we all three worked together. It was awesome for me as a kid because we would split the money 50/50 and at 20-40 bucks a lawn with and average of ten or more lawns it was like $150 to $250 every couple weeks and for a 12 year old that’s MONEY! So every other Saturday we would mow from morning until dark. The properties were for a bank that I’m assuming repossessed after folks fell short on their loans and most were in the shady parts of town. But nestled in one of those not so pristine areas was a place called Buds. Buds had about five little tables and an old diner style bar. Even the bar was small with only 4-6 stools and where we always sat. Right behind the bar was Bud and his grill. You could almost stand up on your stool lean over the bar and flip the burgers yourself. There were only two menu items that I recollect from Buds. Tiny hamburgers (which my Mom would order like 15 or 20 with grilled onions only) and chili. The hamburgers (there was no trendy name like sliders) were so small they were literally one or two bites tops. I would steal a couple/few from my Mom but the chili was where my heart was. It was this super meaty chili with maybe a couple beans. The awesomeness was in how small the beef was ground. Yeah you guessed it, tiny. Never any big chunks just the finest ground beef you’ve ever seen and oh so, oh so flavorful. Buds became a Saturday lunch favorite with my Mom and I. Not sure how she came across Buds, I think my Grandma may have gotten her hair done somewhere around there but I know she had been there before because she knew how to order those tiny burgers? Since then Buds has closed down and even if it were still there I’m not sure if it would live up to my memories.
