Those Omelets That We Used to Like Are Back on the Menu at Dot and Nellie's Diner
<p>Teenage Medusa was a waitress at Dot and Nellie's Diner, but that's another story. Breakfast was the most important meal of the day back then, and we always enjoyed their special omelets. And, they made the best coffee. Dot and Nellie would say the darndest things to customers as we watched them prepare food and wait the tables. Damn, I wish I could remember some of their stories. Just before 3pm, when it would start to get dark outside, the red neon CLOSED sign above the entrance would flicker on and keep flickering until just before daybreak when it would go off and the green OPEN sign would light up. There was a staircase at the end of the hallway where the customer bathrooms were and it led to a room, if you can call it that, where Dot and Nellie spent their nights. One morning Dot and Nellie did not come down the staircase but Miss Gumm came down instead with three of her friends. The first thing they did was change the neon sign to read OPEN 24 HOURS. Then they changed the menu to strictly burgers, fries, and chicken tenders, and started serving alcohol. The Diner attracted a new clientele of organized crime types as well as disorganized criminals. The residents of the town, if you can call it that, began to fear for their safety. A fire hydrant on the corner near the diner told me that I had to go in the diner and order a cheeseburger and a beer. Then, when the food was served, I was to throw the beer in the face of the dishwasher who looked like a biker, throw the burger at Miss Gumm, then run up the stairs at the end of the hallway where the restrooms were. The fire hydrant said that when I got to the top of the stairs things would start to happen that needed to happen but I would be OK. So I did it. I sat at the counter and placed my order, which took forever to arrive. I grabbed the burger with one hand as I threw the beer in the face of the dishwasher and tossed the burger at Miss Gumm, who was behind the bar. I ran at top speed with the diner staff pursuing me up the narrow staircase. I realized that there was no door at the top of the staircase, just a bare wall. When my foot touched the top step everything exploded and I was falling through a blue sky along with what looked like giant items from the pantry and refrigerator of the diner- eggs, vegetables, furniture, all whirling and smashing against each other, then reassembling. In the distance I saw molecules, or particles, coalesce into the forms of Dot and Nellie. There was an electrical noise and I must have lost consciousness. When I came to I was sitting at my favorite table in the Diner. I looked around for a few seconds trying to make sense of things. Then Nellie walked up with a coffee and a menu. She winked at me and said that today my order was on the house. I began perusing the menu while sipping the best cup of coffee that I ever had. Those omelets we liked so much were back on the menu! I ordered one with extra cheese. Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day. <br></p>
<p>Teenage Medusa was a waitress at Dot and Nellie's Diner, but that's another story. Breakfast was the most important meal of the day back then, and we always enjoyed their special omelets. And, they made the best coffee. Dot and Nellie would say the darndest things to customers as we watched them prepare food and wait the tables. Damn, I wish I could remember some of their stories. Just before 3pm, when it would start to get dark outside, the red neon CLOSED sign above the entrance would flicker on and keep flickering until just before daybreak when it would go off and the green OPEN sign would light up. There was a staircase at the end of the hallway where the customer bathrooms were and it led to a room, if you can call it that, where Dot and Nellie spent their nights. One morning Dot and Nellie did not come down the staircase but Miss Gumm came down instead with three of her friends. The first thing they did was change the neon sign to read OPEN 24 HOURS. Then they changed the menu to strictly burgers, fries, and chicken tenders, and started serving alcohol. The Diner attracted a new clientele of organized crime types as well as disorganized criminals. The residents of the town, if you can call it that, began to fear for their safety. A fire hydrant on the corner near the diner told me that I had to go in the diner and order a cheeseburger and a beer. Then, when the food was served, I was to throw the beer in the face of the dishwasher who looked like a biker, throw the burger at Miss Gumm, then run up the stairs at the end of the hallway where the restrooms were. The fire hydrant said that when I got to the top of the stairs things would start to happen that needed to happen but I would be OK. So I did it. I sat at the counter and placed my order, which took forever to arrive. I grabbed the burger with one hand as I threw the beer in the face of the dishwasher and tossed the burger at Miss Gumm, who was behind the bar. I ran at top speed with the diner staff pursuing me up the narrow staircase. I realized that there was no door at the top of the staircase, just a bare wall. When my foot touched the top step everything exploded and I was falling through a blue sky along with what looked like giant items from the pantry and refrigerator of the diner- eggs, vegetables, furniture, all whirling and smashing against each other, then reassembling. In the distance I saw molecules, or particles, coalesce into the forms of Dot and Nellie. There was an electrical noise and I must have lost consciousness. When I came to I was sitting at my favorite table in the Diner. I looked around for a few seconds trying to make sense of things. Then Nellie walked up with a coffee and a menu. She winked at me and said that today my order was on the house. I began perusing the menu while sipping the best cup of coffee that I ever had. Those omelets we liked so much were back on the menu! I ordered one with extra cheese. Breakfast is still the most important meal of the day. <br></p>