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Travels With Ringo... the Busy Bee Lunch
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Travels With Ringo... the Busy Bee Lunch |
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Ringo 
since 2003-02-20
Posts 3684Saluting with misty eyes 
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This is almost a true story that occurred while I was on the road to Colorado. The waitress is fact, the others had their names changed. The Busy Bee Lunch is an actual establishment, and I would recommend it to anyone who happens to end up in the neighborhood of 51 E. 3rd Street Williamsport, Pa. The waitress' name was Ted. That's what her polo shirt had printed on it. It was turquoise green, a touch too large, and had an old grease stain on the pocket. To see her on the street, you could easily miss her; however, here she seemed as much a part of the fixtures as the chalkboard menu. She presented with a great protion of Alice, a touch of Vera, and a desire to be more like Flo. This wasn't a planned stop. I had a layover on the road to Indiannapolis and my next bus wasn't due for another couple of hours. So, boredom being what it is, I wandered in from across the street to add calories to my ever-expanding backside. To call this place a typical small-town diner would be cliche. It was, instead, a diner- placed in the center of a one-building city block- smack in the middle of a small town. The residue on the grime-covered windows announced "Guns and Ammo- For Sale" though it had been an eatery for gone these sixty years, and coordinated perfectly with the rubbish collecting on the streets. It was, in short, a Rockwellian nightmare. The Busy Bee was the kind of place where everyone knew your name and your business, and a stranger was a new friend to be experienced. The customers, regulars all, arrived each at their same times every day, sat in their same seats, ordered their same meals, and had the same conversations every day of their lives. The only change would come with the occasional, "did you hear about...?" That statement would begin a tale of gossip understood only by the locals, punctuated with, "That reminds me of the time..." and rememberances of tales gone by. I had been sitting at the counter for almost an hour talking with the owner's husband, Mike, and listening to the others when James arrived to sit beside me. It seemed that he hd just walked ten miles and needed a glass of water. Yes, Ted, he was getting his usual- BLT, white toast, extra lettuce, dab of mayo- but just the water for now. And don't forget the 10% off for Senior Citizen Thursday. Yes, he was too good looking to be a Senior Citizen, but he fought in the war, thank you very much, and that would be the war that Americans seem to forget, mind you, and anyone who was nineteen years of age in nineteen hundred and fifty-one deserves to call himself a Senior Citizen, by G-d, so remember the 10%. Hello, Marilyn. Decaf? Baked Burger? Mike, make one for marilyn. Now, you haven't wanted onions for seven years, what would make me put them on today? By the way, how's your grandson doing? I heard he's fixing to get out of the hospital next week. He still giving them nurses a heartbreak? I'll tell you, it reminds me of that time... So, buddy, where ya from? You ain't from here. What's got you stopping in? Takin' the bus, huh? Where ya off to? Indinaplis? Long drive. Yeah, it kinda reminds me of that one time... It wasn't long before I saw my bus pull in, and it was time for me to leave. I paid the check, took one last sip of coffee and looked around to remember it all. I pat James on the shoulder and stepped through the door leaving my new best friends behind. Onle last deep breath and check the traffic. Looking ahead, I crossed the street in the rain towards the rest of my days. Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again... |
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| © Copyright 2004 Bradly Stott - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Michelle_loves_Mike
since 2003-12-20
Posts 1189Pennsylvania |
What a neat way to share a story with us,,,,,I, too, have done my share of greyhounding over the years,,,,,thats what expands your hindparts, not the diner....I'm glad you found some way to amuse yourself on a layover,,,,i lived thru a 6 hour lay over in Tampa,,,,,*shudder*, that's a stroy for a late night of too much to drink,,,which,,as you know with me is , like, 2 and a half, lol. Any way, my meandering reply, goes with your meandering post,,,welcome home,,I missed you Michelle I wish all could find the true happiness I have found,,in the eyes of Mike |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Smiling at you, Ringo... by the way, did you know we're signed up for a duet? Check Sanctuary... Indinaplis... I heard it! |
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Ringo
since 2003-02-20
Posts 3684Saluting with misty eyes |
Actually,. Sunshine, I hadn't gotten the word about the duet... although I am excited about it... I was gone from Thursday until Tuesday last, and had no access... I'll be contacting you shortly to set something up. Thanks for the kind words on this, BTW... And Michelle, you already know my thoughts on your reply. Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again... |
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Larry C
since 2001-09-10
Posts 10286United States |
Ringo, I was 23 and got bumped in Billings on a milk-run flight to Omaha. Watched my luggage fly away and I walked a couple miles to the Bus station in my suit and got a one way ticket. Boy do you ever bring back some memories. A fabulous write that was much enjoyed.  If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again. |
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Jeffrey Carter
since 2000-04-08
Posts 2367State of constant confusion! |
This reminds me of that time... LOL I really enjoyed this peice Ringo! Nicely done! |
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Ringo
since 2003-02-20
Posts 3684Saluting with misty eyes |
Thank you all for reading this. I am glad you enjoyed it... I stopped back at that same diner on my way through town (same bus... different direction) and gave "Ted" a copy. She thought I was completely out of my mind. lol Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again... |
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