I’m going to tell you something and I want you to understand how serious this is to me:I love chicken nuggets.

This is not the kind of love that begins and ends in the drive-thru of a Chick-Fil-A line. No, this affair started when I was in the sixth grade, more than a decade ago. Prior to me eating school lunch, my mom would pack me homemade lunches, squeezed neatly inside of a faceless but insulated lunch box. I would unzip it to reveal mangled bologna sandwiches and greasy crushed chips. The Rice Krispie Treats somehow managed to hold its shape. I’d pull them out of my bag like a magician revealing a bunny rabbit from his hat except my audience never ooh’d and ah’d. Instead, they would come to the table with complaints and fried foods. And there it was. Five golden nuggs snuggled next to instant mashed potatoes and soggy green beans.
But hear me out. I tried one of the nuggs, and it was heaven sent. The outside crisped and crunched with each chew. The inside was just the right amount of salty. My friends would shove their nuggets into the mashed potatoes and use it as a makeshift dip. Some would spray the entire plate with ketchup. Others would leave the nuggets altogether waiting for the next day's fried shrimp or nachos. But me, I was sold, and decided to take the next step. McDonald’s.

These nuggs were different. Their grade of crispy significantly surpassed the school lunch nuggets. Eventually I discovered the best of the best. The end all of nuggets. Chick-Fil-A.These chicken nuggets were the pinnacle of all fried chicken. First, they were real as if my mother had sliced and seasoned chicken breast before breading it and frying in pure love. Second, they were always hot. While I loved McDonald's nuggs, sometimes they were as cold as the employees attitudes. Chick-Fil-A nuggets were hot enough to burn the roof of your mouth, and honestly, I think each peeling skin from the roof of my mouth was worth it. And thus it was. Since my discovery, I eat nuggets at least once a week. Fried chicken in other forms just didn't settle with me justly. I didn't want chicken strips, fried chicken, or popcorn chicken. I believe nuggets are not only a southern American staple, but also a comfort food. It can double as a snack or a meal, depending on how many you're tummy is willing to digest. They're for kids, and for those who are kids in spirit. It's a good cry, a Saturday morning in bed or an inside joke with friends all wrapped up in breaded fried goodness.

For me , it was all about nuggets and always will be.
There's a quote from a man child I admire named King Curtis, who was featured on Wife Swap and remembered for his dedication to fast food.
“Chicken nuggets are like my family.”
Yes, Curtis. Yes they are.