Their Taco Bell burned down, tears were cried, the vigil was lit
It started as a joke on Facebook.
When a Taco Bell in Montgomery, Ala., burned down last week, Katie James put out a call for fans to hold a candlelight vigil for it.
It was a BYOC event. Bring Your Own Candles.
She was joking.
IT WAS A JOKE TO MAKE MY ROOMMATE LAUGH
— Katie James (@KimmyJinPP) January 18, 2018
But the people who responded were serious, sorta.
“I just need a hug,” wrote one man.
James told the Montgomery Advertiser the idea came from her roommate, Russell Dowis.
“He works long shifts, sometimes 14 hours a day. His go-to foods are McDonald’s and Taco Bell. He’s a fast food guy,” James said.
“I came home and said, ‘Russell, what’s wrong?’ He was like, ‘Man, the Taco Bell on Zelda burned down.’ I was like, ‘What?’ and he was like ‘Yeah!’ And I said, ‘We should hold a memorial for it.’ He said, ‘Oh my gosh, we should do a candlelight vigil.’
“And then he moved on about his life, and didn’t think nothing about it. I, in about 10 minutes after that conversation, made a Facebook event, and titled it ‘Candlelight vigil for Taco Bell.’”
She almost canceled the event, James told the Advertiser, when she found out the vigil couldn’t be held on the Taco Bell site itself. But with mourners, by now, knocking down her Facebook door, she arranged for the vigil to take place across the street.
More than 100 people showed up Sunday. They lit candles. They laughed. They faux-cried.
They sang.
This is what happens when Taco Bel burns down in Montgomery, Alabama. pic.twitter.com/tZeyyfbVnq
— zane (@zanespringer_) January 22, 2018
The media covering it used every Mexican-food pun in the book as they reported it — leaving none for us to use here.
“Grieving, in nacho your average way.”
“Some didn’t want to taco ‘bout it.”
More people liked the idea on Facebook than actually showed up, with James’ post attracting interest from thousands.
WSFA in Montgomery reported that the Wednesday morning fire, based on early evaluation by fire officials, started in a room full of electrical equipment.
The Taco Bell owners released a statement thanking customers for their support.
“We will have a true celebration upon re-opening and hope that all of you that Quiero Taco Bell will Run to the Border on Zelda and LiveMas with us!!!!” they wrote.
This story was originally published January 23, 2018 at 3:40 PM with the headline "Their Taco Bell burned down, tears were cried, the vigil was lit."