Nothing Like a Good Diner

 

There's no place like the neighborhood diner. 

Whenever I'm at my local diner drinking a hot cup of coffee, I can't help but think of Suzanne Vega's hit song, "Tom's Diner." I personally prefer her acapella rendition to the studio version. 

Some lines from the tune:

I am sitting in the morning

At the diner on the corner

I am waiting at the counter

For the man to pour the coffee

And he fills it only halfway

And before I even argue

He is looking out the window

At somebody coming in

There's something so evocative about Vega's lyrics. If you close your eyes and listen, it feels like you're there.  

The diner I frequent actually used to have little jukeboxes at every table. These were removed years ago, but man, they would have been a hit today...

Diner jukebox

I have many fond memories from the diner: first dates, hangouts with friends, celebratory meals, etc.

All good things, though, must come to an end. 

In Philanthropy Daily, Andrew Fowler laments the loss of his favorite diner, the Bridgeport Flyer, located in Milford, Connecticut. 

Fowler writes:

Countless hours had been spent in its booths, between nourishment after late night escapades to date nights to book club hangouts and catching up with old friends revisiting the hometown. There were hearty laughs, good cheer, life updates, deep conversations, heartbreaks, and even reconciliation.

While on the surface the loss of a diner might strike some as trivial, these establishments are so much more than greasy spoons where drunks go to eat at 3:00 AM; they are magical places that cultivate community and unforgettable memories. 

Think, too, of all of the cinema and shows that utilize the diner setting. 

Off the top of my head, I am reminded of Andrew Neiman, the fictional drummer in Whiplash, breaking up with his girlfriend, Nicole, in one of those classic diner booths.

Andrew breaks up with Nicole in Whiplash

Or how about when, in Beautiful Boy, Nic, a drug-addicted teen, pleads with his father, David, to give him money...

In Beautiful Boy, Nic asks his father for cash

On a lighter note, remember how central the diner was in the show Schitt's Creek?

Johnny and Moira at the diner in Schitt's Creek

On that latter example, the diner was pretty much the epicenter of the Schitt's Creek community. It's where decisions were made, difficult conversations were had, and neighborhood gossip was spread. 

And who can forget Twyla, the eccentric and affable waitress?

Twyla collecting dirty dishes in Schitt's Creek

In fact, the more I write this post, the more that comes to mind...

Do you recall when Alexis hosted a "singles week" at the diner?

Alexis hosts singles week at the diner

Anyway, I'm getting carried away here. You get the point: diners are essential third places. 

Speaking of third places, Joe Pitts and I wrote about dive bars as valuable community-hubs for National Review. Check that out here. 

See ya next week!