Jan

27

Last April, with toast

It was last April, I think, when JB had turned in his notice at Microsoft and had maybe two weeks before starting the new job in Eugene. We got in a habit of dropping Dylan off at preschool in the morning, then heading down the road to a nearby diner for breakfast. You know the kind of place: white ceramic coffee cups, thin utensils, tiny sweating plastic cups of ice water. We’d sit and order gigantic meals, cheesy omelets and ham-adorned scrambled eggs. “This is what life could be like if we were retired,” JB said once. It’s true the diner was always busy, always filled with older people. “We’d get so fat,” I replied, but as I said it I was comfortably troweling cold butter onto hot rye toast. The melting spread of it, salty and sweet under a layer of strawberry jam dug from a foil-topped packet. All around us, the bustle of movement and voices and opening and closing doors.

Comments

13 Responses to “Last April, with toast”

  1. Sarah on January 27th, 2013 2:58 pm

    That was some great descriptive writing. I got an instant, vivid picture in my mind of the diner you’re speaking of. We have one too, nearby, also frequented mainly by retirees who never seem bothered by our loud children. Sometimes I am reluctant to leave. I just want to keep drinking coffee and buttering endless slices of toast…

  2. Shawna on January 27th, 2013 3:09 pm

    When our kids are older and no longer want to do stuff with us, that’ll be us on Sundays. (Possibly preceded or followed by a trip to the gym because that is indeed a comfortable, fattening habit.) Until then, my son’s egg allergy keeps us from lazy mornings at any place that serves standard breakfast.

  3. Kim on January 27th, 2013 4:02 pm

    Sweet lord, do I love a diner.

  4. Amy on January 27th, 2013 6:38 pm

    I love your writing. Really really really love it.

  5. Faith on January 27th, 2013 7:28 pm

    My favorite two words here: Comfortably troweling. I just like the way that sounds.

  6. Amy N on January 28th, 2013 7:54 am

    Pure awesomeness! I don’t have time for a diner…but maybe I’ll have toast for breakfast :)

    Still thinking of a book?? You have skills….and time per an earlier post!

  7. Randy on January 28th, 2013 9:20 am

    Which diner was it?

  8. Sande on January 28th, 2013 9:23 am

    How come I’m picturing When Harry Met Sally and you left out the good part? :o)

  9. Judy on January 28th, 2013 11:04 am

    Nah, when you retire you won’t be able to afford the diner.

  10. Farrell on January 28th, 2013 2:04 pm

    I love breakfast dates.

  11. NancyB on January 28th, 2013 3:53 pm

    Love diners and diners’ breakfast food.
    Hard to believe that anniversary is right around the corner!

  12. Erin@MommyontheSpot on February 3rd, 2013 6:57 am

    I love the description of this post!

  13. Gwen on February 6th, 2013 9:32 pm

    That was a nice bit of writing and now I am craving toast something fierce.

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