Breakfast

It is usually too late to be considered a traditional breakfast, but my friends and I had never allowed that to prevent us to give it that label. It was never “let’s do brunch tomorrow.” It was always “how about breakfast? 10:30?”. Since I usually have my breakfast very early [around 5:30 am], 10:30 am was late enough to enjoy another couple of eggs, toast, coffee, and good conversation; with people that have become really close friends. We met that morning at a popular Lower Topia breakfast/lunch cafe, that typically closed around 2 pm. By 10:30, the lunch patrons hadn’t yet arrived, and the breakfast crowd had just about all left the place. There was plenty of empty tables from which to pick; far enough from the cash register, and the swinging doors of the kitchen. We didn’t want to be bothered by unnecessary conversation and sounds of clanging utensils, dropped pots and frazzled cooks. However, just as important, the table wasn’t too far into the dining area that it would be a trek to the bathroom. These two important criteria were adopted by most respectable Senior citizens, and especially by my group.

The restaurant was called the “Table Top”, it was a bit quaint; its name didn’t help. Although it was almost too kitschy for me, it wasn’t barebones either. The tables were exposed wood. Each was served with either 4 matching chairs, if it was a round table, or 6 chairs, if it was rectangular. Table and chairs bore their expected nicks and variety of scratches from years of abuse with pride, boasting of its cafe’s popularity. The tell tale aroma of bleach and ammonia told us the furniture was cleaned regularly, but with a noticeable film that only a good dose of some highly caustic cleaner might cure; to be done after hours, no doubt. The tables and chairs all matched throughout the restaurant; all neatly positioned in an orderly fashion. The walls were painted in urban grey, adorned with wood table rails and corner molding that matched the wood of the tables and chairs. Evenly spaced, the 5 paintings hung on the longest wall that was at right angle to the front wall opened to the outside with large windows; ceiling to table top windows allowed ample light into the dining area.