By Melanie J. Knox, Opinion Editor

As I Wish

The fried okra no longer exists. Neither do the Varsity Clubs, the BLT Crews and the Sproutsadillas. Even the cream gravy is gone.

Honestly, what true southerner will ever eat fried chicken with honey mustard?

The menu in the Bean Sprout now consists of any combination burger you can think of, sides of fries and the Philly Steak Sandwich. That’s it.

Workers in the Sprout said that they were trying to do one thing very well and revamp the atmosphere.

The new sirloin burgers taste great; even the fries aren’t too bad. So for doing this one thing very well, I congratulate the Sprout.

But I don’t want a burger and fries. I miss my BLT with Baked Lay’s and the occasional side of fried okra. I miss going to the Sprout and knowing that I had options and choices about what to eat for lunch that day. I even miss the dim lighting and trying to eat my fried okra with the toothpick that held together my BLT.

Sure, sometimes the okra had bathed in salt and the bacon on the BLT had a little fat and a lot of flop, but I loved it.

The food items in the Bean Sprout became a part of me; they began to identify who I am as a person and shape the kinds of eating choices I would make for the rest of my life. I never even liked BLTs or quesadillas before the Sprout came into my life.

But now, the things I grew to love have been violently ripped away from me. I used to eat in the Sprout almost daily; now the thought of yet another burger almost brings me to tears, and it’s only the second week of school.

The workers in the Sprout and the new chef are still doing an amazing job. Their friendliness and service makes the Sprout bearable.

But to those in charge, I beg on bended knees: bring back the Sprout I love. Bring back the Chili’s-like atmosphere. Most of all, bring back the fried okra.