There are times when a setting is just perfect. Times when all the sensory input aligns exactly in a way that transports one’s mind to a different place and time. Yesterday morning was just such an experience. After an early appointment, my wife and I stopped for breakfast at a nearby eatery. It is a funky, little place with a deliberately archaic decor. The place consists of about a dozen or so booths and a handful of stools at the counter. The wood paneling on the walls is reminiscent of a suburban basement in the late 1950’s. The woodgrain formica tabletops have had most of the “woodgrain” worn off, revealing a smooth chocolaty brown color beneath. Behind the counter is a shelf that holds all the personal coffee cups of the regulars. The staff is very friendly and informal and knows most of the clientele by their first names. The food is never fancy, but it is always good.
When we arrived yesterday, we were into our third straight day of rain. The parking lot was dotted with large puddles and rimmed with scraggly piles of lingering dirty snow. A handful of dirty cars and pickup trucks were in the lot. As we went in through the tiny entryway, we passed the disconnected pay phone next to the front door. As soon as we took our seats in one of the booths, the sound system began playing Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man” and I was transported. I felt like I was in another state, along some old, soggy highway in maybe 1959. It was like being stuck in a Barry Levinson movie. For that few minutes, I was in a different world than the one we all have been living in lately. You have to find your refuge and solace wherever you can, people, and yesterday was a prime example of exactly that. Thank you, Tammy.
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