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Letter:

A Man without his chili dogs is like an ocean without water.

When I first came to Bellevue about 4 1/2 years ago, I frequented a fast food restaurant just around the corner from Matt's.

For some reason, this particular restaurant in the chain did not carry what they consider to be chili for their hot dogs.

My friends and I speculated on the cause of this phenomenon, all the while unaware that Matt's was just around the corner.

Some thought that Bellevuites were hesitant to partake in a chili dog for fear that they might smell up their posh offices upon return from lunch. Others thought that perhaps the Eastside was simply too isolated from the real world to even know what a chili dog was.

When I asked the manager of the particular fast food restaurant why he did not carry the chili that the rest of the chain provided, he said that it did not sell at that location. This seemed to reinforce the ideas speculated upon above.

Due to this phenomenon, I was forced to go without any chili dogs for nearly 2 years. I can only hope that this has not permanently affected me in some horrible way.

Well on one very lucky Friday afternoon, I just happened to miss my left turn onto 112th while driving west on NE 8th street. This led me to turn left on 110th instead, where low and behold I discovered the real reason that the aforementioned restaurant did not carry chili. Sitting there on the right side of the road, with a halo like light surrounding the building, was a little restaurant that specialized in chili dogs!

I could hardly believe my eyes, our speculation had been completely wrong; in fact it seemed that Bellevuites knew a secret that I had been missing out on, Matt's Famous Chili Dogs.

Matt's has redefined the term "Chili Dog" for me and I can truly say that I am now content, and can continue to lead a normal and healthy lifestyle.

I later returned to the no chili dog fast food restaurant with all of my friends, just to let the manager know that we held him responsible for not informing us that Matt's was just around the corner, and that he might be receiving some hefty psychiatrist bills. He had no comment, and needless to say my friends and I never went there again.

Thank you Matt! You are a lifesaver!

Sincerely, Randy Russell

Here's something from Larry LaChance:

Ode to Chili Dogs

Chili dogs are man's true best friend;
They'll never run away
Or bite you on the rear end.
They'll never chase a mailman,
Or abuse your leg.
When you take one out for eating, "give me a bite!" your friends will beg.
Chili dogs are perfect
And very portable too.
I find myself always wanting one
Or maybe even two.

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