Morning Story
So I'm looking for a good breakfast place. I found some coupons for a restaurant called the Golden Corral. It's in the middle of "Industrialia" in Bolingbrook. Right smack dab in the middle of two windowless warehouses. From the coupons, it looks like a classy place for a nice breakfast with my mom. Right when I walked in, WRONG! There are like a zillion people here. The place is filled with just every type of person you could imagine: fat people, skinny people, short people, tall people, smart people, dumb people, mean people, nice people, young people, old people, black people, white people, and any other type of person you imagine. Mostly what I notice is that they are poor people. Using my super sleuthy literary connection skills, I connected this book to "Nickel and Dimed." There were a bunch of minority workers just trying to make a living. I couldn't really concentrate on the food because I was imaging each one's life story; why they work at the Golden Corral, careful not to make any judgements.
But all that stuff I just wrote was silly willy nilly. Here is what got my brain turned on this morning. Behind me, there was an Indian lady, who was eating all by herself. No husband, no kids, just herself. In the middle of the most chaotic restaurant I have ever been in, here is a woman who can sit down by herself, without feeling unwelcome or uncomfortable, and just eat. Free of any thoughts, cares, or worries. Personally, I cannot do this (I can now!) I used to fall into the trap where instead of sitting down and eating by myself, I will opt for a drive thru, and just eat in my car where no one can see me.
This situation just made me respect this lady so much more. I don't know why. I will have to try this. I have never sat down and eaten alone. I have never gone to a movie alone, I find it hard to do things alone; especially things that are non-status-quo. So here, on my blog, once again do I make a new resolution. I am not afraid to be alone. I will not chicken out when I need to do something alone. I will not take comfort in spreading the embarrassment to someone else. This lady is my inspiration, but she hasn't the slightest clue. The only contact between her and I was a smile as I got up and left. But her influence is far larger than that.