Where You’ll Find Me When the Crisis Ends

Look at the above photo gallery and tell me what I really miss about social distancing.  You will recognize some of my favorite places.

I’m an introvert.  Hard to believe when you consider what I do for a living.  I’m a homebody.  It’s my favorite place to go when I leave work, however.  Some afternoons and on my weekends, I like to go out for breakfast or lunch.  Saturday mornings I often just put the car in drive and pick a direction.  I’ve been to some of the finest diners in four Mountain West states. 

I’m not usually looking for the native cuisine.  Just a cup of coffee and standard comfort food.  And I like to listen.  When I was a little boy the bowling alley in my hometown had a diner on one side.  I wasn’t supposed to interrupt my dad and his friends.  I would eat my burger and basket of fries (crinkle cut).  It’s how I learned about how regular speak and what were their concerns.

At the same time you could hear forks clanking on plates and the constant chatter of the wait staff with the kitchen.  And someone would usually call me “Hun”.

There are many things I miss in life (my old red bicycle) but the last few weeks really drive home what really matters.

Life is what takes place at those diners, coffee shops and restaurants.  You want to understand humanity?  Take a seat at the Depot Grill.  On any day.  Then listen to what’s going on around you.  For at least 3 more weeks (and I fear even more) it has been taken away.