You can see the variety of the humans at a 24/7 diner or any eating place that’s open all the time, really. It’s fascinating how the atmosphere and the feel of the place shift with the hours and the experiences of the patrons. It’s a place where you can witness how colorful humans really are. And it really is a light show.

Mornings are an interesting time for a diner, it is also the liveliest. Some people would be starting their day while some would end it with a nice meal. I was just enjoying my morning coffee when my eyes spotted someone.

I look at the person of interest. I see an old lady who is prim and proper just as a proper lady of the old ought to be. She was dressed for business, not pleasure. The way she held herself was somewhat tense as if she was preparing for a fight or a race. Her eyes showed that she had a goal. This was going to be a hard day for her, no doubt about it. Differing from the other customers, she’s alone. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. However, a single person stands out immensely in a crowd of people who are in groups.

I could see that she came in here with the specific intention of eating, and eating alone, for she instantly homed in on the one lonely booth at the corner. She sits down slowly and even inspects the table for any grime that could be there, and then she patiently waits for the waiter to bring her the menu. While doing so she observes the other customers with an intense look of searching, she’s definitely looking for someone or something. 

Her search stops; I follow the direction of her gaze and I spot a woman eating with her two sons who seem intent on annoying their mother. The boys were young, probably just 5 or 6, but they are the loudest ones here. The mother is patient with an exasperated smile on her face, probably long used to the antics of the brothers. Then her expression shifts; she seems to be lecturing the boys, but a few moments later a smile betrays her stern face.

The old woman’s gaze softens and I could see her mouth curling up a little, like how one looks at her silly friends. For a few moments, her gaze lingers on with the family of three, and once again she starts searching. 

If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

This time she stops at a couple who could only be called deeply in love. The couple wasn’t young by any means, but you could feel their love burning as if their passion had only gone up, since the day they met. The kind of love that makes the fairytale one mundane, the one that everyone wants. 

A black haired man is spoon feeding the blonde guy, even though the blonde guy is perfectly capable. The blonde guy doesn’t like this, it looks like, but he humors him. They speak animatedly over the noise of the diner in the early morning. The blonde guy’s expressions are changing every few moments as the other man tells him a story. I try to listen to what captivated his attention to no avail. The old lady’s eyes glazed as if she was going through her head for a memory. Then she focuses again and sends their way, a sad smile with a hint of longing.

Then the waiter comes and snaps both me and her into reality. You could see that the old lady wasn’t really paying much attention to the menu. She was just perusing it for the sake of it, but even before she said something the waiter started writing her order. Then a moment of silent exchange happened between them, and they smiled at each other.

As the waiter left her search continued yet again and as it stopped I looked at where she was looking. There sat a girl, full of tattoos, who was beaming at something on her table. I searched for her apparent happiness, and there was a turtle crawling happily about on her table. Maybe this is a rare occasion for the girl and the turtle. Then I saw that the old lady’s smile was as big as the girl’s, and I couldn’t help but smile together with them. 

A minute later the old lady gave herself a satisfied sigh, her search and check-up for the day complete. Her order came out faster than others’ I noticed. She ate with practiced ease looking at those three every now and then. Soon enough she got up and walked calmly towards the door. Perhaps it was my imagination, but her steps had a little more pep to it, she stood a little taller with a slight curl on her lips, and she briskly walked out with a touch less tension than she had before.

Maybe, just maybe, she has a bit more strength to face the day and fight whatever battle she is fighting.