Epiphany at Huddle House

[Angela]

Sharp shadows from the ketchup bottle and the napkin dispenser stripe the table, worn from grazed elbows and coffee cups.  Cups slowly turned as someone tries to say exactly the right thing.  Cups pushed away in anger just before someone goes outside to smoke a cigarette in the rain.  Our cups just rest, and as he bends to eat, I see the broad shoulders, full arms, and beefy hands of a man twenty years younger.  I wonder who he is, having allowed a crumbling infrastructure to develop in our lives.  Today I think I will try to listen to what he is saying, at least through breakfast.

[Jeanette Cheezum]

Stripe the table pulled me in. The last line spells it out beautifully.

[Mike Handley]

What a fine mood-setter you are! This is a note from a screenplay, a peek through a director's eyes ... or a peek through our own through yours. Very well done.

[Robert Crisman]

Long day ahead...

[Brittany]

moments, thoughts and intentions all sharing space in this six. I echo what Bill says, the details rock!

[Bill Floyd]

The "crumbling infrastructure," dang.  You don't shy away from the hard core of it.  Listening without love is an exercise in make-believe.  

[Teresa]

I love "stripe the table" too.  Love sentence 2.  Love the whole of this.

[Brad Rose]

Love "stripe the table". The portrait of change (in human relationships) is captured very poignantly here.

[Angela]

Jamie - Yes.  Even dirt has a memory.   Have you ever slowly wiped your hand across all the little tiny scratches on a diner table top?  You should try it.

[bolton carley]

at least through breakfast!  :)  oh, couples at work, so to speak.  well done, as always.

[Jamie Hogan]

I could just quote G's comment, really. But I also want to say that I love how you almost seem to impart that the table, the booth, or the diner remembers what occurred there. That events are recorded by a place, and maybe those memories can touch future visitors. I don't know if you meant to give that off or not. Doesn't matter, really, you're brilliant either way.