This week I thought I’d take a cue from Jared Fogle, of acclaimed Subway fame, and start my own sub sandwich diet. But rather than jump on the Subway bandwagon a decade too late, I decided to support Austin’s neighborhood trailer sub shop, Short Bus Subs. Of course, my resolve was detained by a couple of days due to other trailers, so really my diet began mid-week. On Tuesday I waddled over to the bright yellow school bus at Mueller to pick up a Teacher’s Pet, a turkey sandwich with a twist. Always a straight-A student myself, in high school my sack lunches consisted of whole-wheat sandwiches with a few chaste pieces of sandwich meat. Oh, what I was missing! The thick mound of sliced smoked turkey, the generous slatherings of cream cheese and mashed avocado, the crispy cracklings of bacon. And don’t forget the salsa, tomatoes, and shredded lettuce on top (I am on a diet, after all). Put together on a toasty hoagie roll, the sandwich more than satisfied. On Wednesday I went with the jalapeño chicken sandwich, having read in Cosmo long ago that spicy foods are good for weight loss. If the salsa gave the Teacher’s Pet a surprising little kick, the chipotle sauce and pickled jalapeños on this sammy would have knocked her straight into the principal’s office. Fortunately it was saved by the yogurt-marinated, tender chicken, as well as the melty cheddar cheese and cooling lettuce and tomato. The obviously old, stale chocolate chip cookie, though, definitely disappointed. I’ve never been known to waste sweets, but I threw most of mine out. Today’s entrée has been the best yet: the Hot Teacher. I liked the fat slices of mozzarella and cheddar paired with the sun-dried tomato pesto, red pepper, and whole sun-dried tomatoes. But what really made the sandwich were the flavorful strips of roasted portobellos. The whole thing most resembled a vegetarian pizza, but hey, I’m not complaining. I figure that if I keep eating these babies almost every day, I’ll look like Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher. Besides for Short Bus Subs’ made-from-scratch bread (slightly sweet and perfectly toasted every time), I also like that they’re located off the beaten track for trailers. Rather than getting lost in the traffic of East Sixth or South Austin, they cater to the North Austin crowd. One bus is permanently parked during the weekdays in the Mueller development, and the other one roams northern locations like the Domain and the Arboretum. Tomorrow I’m planning to get the Summer Vacation, to celebrate the last few weeks before it’s over. Honey ham, provolone, Parmesan, marinara, pineapple, and crushed red pepper. But first, let’s step on the old scale here and see how much weight I’ve lost. Hey, wait, that’s five pounds more than last week . . . Bus #1: rotating locations, check website for schedule (512-535-SUBS). Bus #2: Old Mueller Airport Hanger, 4209 Airport Blvd (512-535-SUBS). Mon–Fri 7:30 a.m.–8 p.m., Sat & Sun 9–8. Posted by Megan Giller. To read more from Megan Giller, visit her website at www.megangiller.com.