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Entry tags:
Days of Past
The diner was empty save for a couple of truckers, a waitress still in high school, and a cook that glared grumpily from the back whenever anyone came in. A minister spoke from the handful of televisions mounted high, tales of peace and love and doing what was right and wholesome and how you should be able to tell right from wrong.
The parking lot looked barren with only the two semis, an old Corolla, and a beat up hatchback filling its stalls. The minivan stood out as it pulled in, even though others whisked by on the highway outside.
Two women and two children entered, one in preschool and one to start kindergarten in the fall. The sandy haired boy held the hand of the blondish brunette, the boy with more olive skin and darker hair held the hand of the woman with the same. It was clear who they each belonged to, even as they sat side by side in a little vinyl booth.
The children ate their pancakes and giggled quietly while their mothers looked tired, but watchful. Only once the younger boy said, "I'm tired of this game, mama. It's silly."
"Why don't we play just a little longer? See who can pretend the most?" the woman across from him asked as the one beside him gulped down orange juice.
"Okay, mo-, I mean Auntie," he smiled, cheerful as could be.
Later, the dark haired woman took both boys to wash up while the other one settled the bill. "The rush will start soon, everyone getting out of church," the waitress warned. "You'll want to be on the road by then."
"Thank you," the woman replied. She gathered the crayon drawings on the back of the paper placemats and waited for the others.
"I'm sorry," the waitress blurted, not much more than a whisper, really.
"Why?" the woman asked, not knowing what else to say.
The waitress, didn't know either, so she grabbed the dirty dishes and headed back where two older women were sorting out their aprons to begin their day.
The visitors headed back to the minivan and strapped the kids in their car seats. "Mommy, mama, that was fun!" the oldest boy exclaimed. "Can we play that game again some time?"
Neither woman answered as they pulled back out into traffic, away from the tiny town and back towards home.
We told this story to our children this weekend. Neither remembered something that happened so long ago. One is in high school, and the other will be next year.
This was a decade ago, and times have changed a lot since then. I'd kinda like it if they didn't change back.
[/the closest thing I'll post to a political view on this journal]
The parking lot looked barren with only the two semis, an old Corolla, and a beat up hatchback filling its stalls. The minivan stood out as it pulled in, even though others whisked by on the highway outside.
Two women and two children entered, one in preschool and one to start kindergarten in the fall. The sandy haired boy held the hand of the blondish brunette, the boy with more olive skin and darker hair held the hand of the woman with the same. It was clear who they each belonged to, even as they sat side by side in a little vinyl booth.
The children ate their pancakes and giggled quietly while their mothers looked tired, but watchful. Only once the younger boy said, "I'm tired of this game, mama. It's silly."
"Why don't we play just a little longer? See who can pretend the most?" the woman across from him asked as the one beside him gulped down orange juice.
"Okay, mo-, I mean Auntie," he smiled, cheerful as could be.
Later, the dark haired woman took both boys to wash up while the other one settled the bill. "The rush will start soon, everyone getting out of church," the waitress warned. "You'll want to be on the road by then."
"Thank you," the woman replied. She gathered the crayon drawings on the back of the paper placemats and waited for the others.
"I'm sorry," the waitress blurted, not much more than a whisper, really.
"Why?" the woman asked, not knowing what else to say.
The waitress, didn't know either, so she grabbed the dirty dishes and headed back where two older women were sorting out their aprons to begin their day.
The visitors headed back to the minivan and strapped the kids in their car seats. "Mommy, mama, that was fun!" the oldest boy exclaimed. "Can we play that game again some time?"
Neither woman answered as they pulled back out into traffic, away from the tiny town and back towards home.
We told this story to our children this weekend. Neither remembered something that happened so long ago. One is in high school, and the other will be next year.
This was a decade ago, and times have changed a lot since then. I'd kinda like it if they didn't change back.
[/the closest thing I'll post to a political view on this journal]