This is 'my' courtyard in Santorini, Greece
So often I think about the best times I have had in my life, my mature years, anyway, have been at a table. When making plans to visit Linda or be visited by her, I tell her how I look forward to being across the table from her. Yes, we sit in the family room together but it is not often for conversation. That time is more for viewing, as we share time watching a program we both enjoy. There is some chit chat but one must be careful to not miss a word of the show! But when we venture out of our homes and into a restaurant, the best conversations take place across the table, between bites, and sometimes in the midst of a bite.
Linda is not the only one with whom I speak, however. Just this past week I got a thoughtful note in the mail, yes, a handwritten note, from my friend, Joanne, expressing how much she enjoys talking to me. She has said this to me in the past, but after a recent meal at The Club, she felt compelled to write a card which shall be cherished!
Most people know who know me also know that I get at least one meal a day 'on the outside', usually lunch which sometimes provides my evening meal as well in the foam boxes. I joke about someday being buried in a foam to-go box, stamped Hefty. For the past year or so my friend, Emma, and I have sat across the table from each other on Monday mornings, for breakfast. We started meeting for breakfast when she finished her session with a personal trainer just down the street from Metro Diner. We had our usual servers and our usual orders, being regulars and long sitters. They were so wonderful to us there.
When Emma had to discontinue the training, the decision was made to stay on Fleming Island and enjoy breakfast at a new restaurant in our neighborhood. They are very good to us there, as well, we having been there to eat even before their official opening! We are long sitters there, too, and a great way to begin our week. Other opportunities to share a meal across the table might occur during the week, but our Mondays are special to us.
Linda and me having a good time in Two Rivers, WI
Prior to January of this year, you could count on finding Terri and me seated across the table from each other more than half the time during the week. Her employer wanted everyone to return to the office rather than working from home part-time, with her office now being in Mandarin. Well, that is not handy at all! For more than a decade she worked either in Orange Park or, since Covid, from home, but now, ATT is totally cramping our style! That, and having our church in Orange Park close has really messed with our meal planning! Due to these changes in our routine, we try to make up for it on weekends, she often joining me at Tom & Betty's on Saturdays, my go-to place that day, and after church on Sundays. She brings her little granddaughter, Elena, with her to Sunday school and worship, and she just loves going to lunch afterward. She also sits across the table when we are together.
Terri and me at Metro Diner, just before Hurricane Irma came
Terri gets preference especially since she is a working lady and really needs a break. When Terri is not available, I have a list of folks who also like to share the table for lunch. No matter who it is that joins me for a meal, there is no shortage of things about which to talk. Some we can never discuss politics, and with others, this is our favorite discussion and we cannot wait to see one another to hash things over. Other ladies like to talk about their families and what is going on at home, trips they have taken, and so on. Most often we can discuss food!
One day after I moved into my new home on Fleming Island, I saw the handyman, Rick, on my street. He flagged me down as I passed by so I stopped to speak with him. Rick asked me, "You like lunch, don't you?" and he already knew that was a silly question since I scheduled his work at my house around lunch! I said that I sure did, and he said there was a group of (hesitates a moment) old hags from the neighborhood who get together on Tuesday each week to have lunch, and he invited me to join them. Evidently Rick and Clinton, his helper, were also old hags. When time allows I do join them and very much enjoy getting to know people not only from my street but also other neighborhoods in our community. Since Terri is now so far away, I have two Tuesdays a month available to dine with the old hags in our community dining establishments. God bless the lady who is responsible for wrangling us all each week!
The conversations shared are to be cherished, as is the time spent together. One thing to keep in mind is that in a restaurant, we are not alone. They are not always conducive to private conversation. We do know some of those places which do give space and time for those type of visits. It has happened more than once with my friend, Christine, and me trying to get together for a lunch and we have been interrupted. Once we were at Pengrees in Orange Park, and several people came to our table to say 'hello' to me. At Pengrees, after the 3rd person stopped by, she announced that next time we are going to Bradford County to eat where no one will know me. Ha, you think so??
Of course, my favorite person to be across the table from is my son, Justin. He and I are both talkers, but only one of us is a listener (ahem, ahem) so my ears get a work out when we are together. I have no problem with that. It just makes me appreciate what my other friends go through when dining with me!
One of Justin's statements made to me as a child has became the standard for having such conversations. When told he should be quiet and go to sleep after being put to bed an hour before, his reply to me was, "But, Mama, I have words left over!" Yes, dear, we all do, and will share them across the table!
