This is from 10-22. Forgot to post it.

Okay, I promised to tell you about the diner. Well, it’s a little place, seats 13 hip-to-hip, and has been in business at the same location for 50 years. To run a place like this more or less successfully you have to be a bit of a character, ‘cause people come to see you as much or more than they come to eat. That surely was the case with Sam, the previous owner who is reputed to cook while smoking and occasionally dropping ashes on the grill as he cooked (uh, yum?) and is definitely true of Gary.

Hey, where else do you pay $5.00 for a great burger and get a floor show thrown in for free?

The current menu has items such as “The Thing” and “The Grump”, two meals that fill an oval platter about 5 inches deep. It’s enough food to feed my entire family, but these guys (and some “chicks” and even some little kids) can polish off the whole thing in one sitting.

Until some kids came and cut it down, there was a banner out front which read “The Food Sucks, The Service is Worse, Come on in.” That’s the kind of thing which makes this little purple castle a guys place. (“Chicks” are welcome, but it’s not a chick place—no frou-frou anything except the lettuce.) The magazines are Maxims and FHM, and some biking magazines.

Today I arrived to a nearly full house, but there was a seat open right next to . . . guess who? If you guessed anyone other than Stalker3, you guessed wrong! I have to admit she is gorgeous. Great hair, great nails, great smile. You can bet there aren’t many guys who turn her down.

She’s persistent with ol’ Gary, and I’ll be surprised if the break-up sticks. Let’s face it, he loves her kids, and no matter what baggage she brings, no matter how emotionally disturbed she may be, she’s the kind that attracts guys who are either abusive or rescuers. Guess which kind Gary is . . . well, he’s not an abuser, that’s for sure.

Quiet lunch--Gary seems a little flustered even after Stalker3 leaves. Interesting . . .
I’ve got to tell you, I managed to read the list she wrote of reasons she loves him . . . well, it would take a tough guy and a pretty strong motivation to resist that, and I’m telling you, any woman reading it would want to know THAT guy. I was prepared to be cynical, (I’m awfully good at that) but it got to ME, and that’s saying something.

I would love to post that list. Beautiful stuff, but entirely too personal for the entire world to see. She’s good at pouring her heart out, that’s for sure. It’s a good thing I’m happily married, or Gary would have Stalker5! (LOL)

Lovely day here, autumn has fully arrived, and there are conflicting reports of the possibility of snow tonight.