Thread by @aimeecarrero

Larry King wanted the Perfect Bagel. When I worked as a waitress in Beverly Hills, he’d come in for lunch almost every Thursday. The hostesses always gave him the best table, a corner booth, which just so happened to be in my regular section. I don’t remember his order. 1/

I do remember that most of his body weight was concentrated in his lower half; a piece of information I was relieved to have. I had long worried that if his famously pointy shoulders were a sign of not getting enough to eat. (I’m Latin and worry about these things). 2/

Larry could never find a great bagel in Los Angeles. This plagued him. He thought about it a lot. “It’s the water,” he said. There are certain properties in New York City water that produce the perfect dough for the Perfect Bagel. I’d heard that about the pizza, I told him. 3/

He’d finally had enough of mediocre West Coast bagels and was opening his own bagel joint just down the street. It was 90’s kitchenette themed—neon signs, speckled Formica laminate. “Will you import the water from New York?” He leaned in, energized. 4/

“No!” They’d built a state-of-the-art contraption that would turn regular Los Angeles water into Brooklyn Water. A delicate combination of minerals and science would pump out the perfect New York water, that would produce the perfect dough, and result in the Perfect Bagel. 5/

“Sounds complicated,” I said. He seemed graciously interested when I recounted Joan Didion’s essay about her trip to an LA municipal water treatment plant. I hadn’t realized how much work went into our water, no matter how sub-par. 6/

“Come check it out, we keep the machine by the window.” I did. In the weeks following, we’d chat about the construction of the restaurant. The font used in the sign for The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. wasn’t what he’d imagined, but Larry came around to it. 7/

After the grand opening, Larry stopped coming around for lunch. Why would he come back? He could have as many Perfect Bagels as he wanted! I’d stop in for one every now and then, hoping to catch a glimpse of my old friend. The bagels were great. 8/

Eventually, I moved on too. I had enough acting work to quit my day job in Beverly Hills and had little reason to find myself in the neighborhood. It’s been years since I’ve thought of Larry and his Bagels. When I woke up this morning to news of his passing, 9/

...the first thing I did was Google his bagel place. It’s still there—alive, well, and very Perfect. That’ll have to be enough now. #LarryKing 🥯 10/10

Yep. Still good 🥯

Lots of people angry I didn’t remember his order. 😂 Do you remember everything you ate on random Thursdays in 2011? Let alone food you brought to someone. Idk maybe it’s my ADHD. 🤷‍♀️