All I wanted was a taco. A Kogi BBQ short-rib taco, to be precise.

In search of this taco, I flew across the country. I stalked Twitter and plotted my route to a busy Los Angeles street. I waited in a long line on a cold Saturday night. I ordered, paid, and waited longer. When my order was up, I grabbed my food.

Only then, after I had come so far, and was so close to finally digging in, did I realize I couldn’t eat dripping tacos standing up. But I was at a food truck on a dirty sidewalk, and there was nowhere to sit. Except…

That’s how I ended up on a bench at a bus stop along L.A.’s Miracle Mile, scarfing