"And the Beat Goes On"

Admit it, you sang that, didn’t you??

I have gone to movies, gone out to eat, gone all sorts of places by myself over the years.

But, I haven’t gone out to eat by myself since Randy died. I mean to a real sit down restaurant. – Until tonight.

I went to Oklahoma today (September 30), visited my Dad, visited the cemetery and on my way home I decided I was hungry for breakfast. You know, those Village Inn breakfasts!! (without even realizing that today was FREE PIE DAY!!! BoNuS!)

So I went to eat by myself. At suppertime. On free pie night. The place was packed. I didn’t get a “private” out of the way booth. Or even one of those 2 seater booths they have. Nope. I got a table for 4 right in the middle of all the other tables for 4!

But think about it. This was restaurant heaven for me because I am a certified, card carrying, people watcher.

What an interesting meal. At the table to the left of me – and up one were 2 girls that I decided must be sisters. They look alike, they have matching tattoos and they interact like sisters. They each have a little girl close  in age.

One is bad. :)  One is good. How fun it was to watch this meal unfold. One kept screaming. Then she kept throwing her cup at to the man at the table next to them. It became interesting watching the face of the mom of the “good girl.” You know, that look of "Hmm, look how wonderful my daughter is!" You know the look. You’ve probably gotten that look before! You’ve probably GIVEN that look before!!!  The"OH MY, my daughter will NEVER act like that!!!" look!   Very proud and a smidgen of disdain!!

Then on the other side of me and up one table was a man and his wife. Older couple. - Older than me. And she was very upset. Someone had made her mad. She went on and on and on and on some more. I could hear “she…... then she…… and then she….” For at least half of their meal. She was disgusted with “she.”  She was irritated with "she."  He didn't say much but continued eating. He smiled at her, nodded once in a while. After a while, she looked at him and smiled. All was good in her world again. All she needed was someone to listen!

There were many more stories unfolding around me but you get the picture!

It was fun. No one even noticed me. Even as I plainly stared watched, no one made eye contact with me. They were all existing in their own worlds.

as Sonny and Cher would say:

"And the beat goes on."

Life goes on. Even if when you are alone.