Challenge #02426-F236: Trust Us On This
First meal of the day, in a 'Greasy Spoon' Space diner. -- Anon Guest
There are some spaces that are eternally stuck at one hour. In most casinos, it is eternally early evening - just after work, so there's plenty of time to kick back and relax. Shopping malls have a similar atmosphere, but generally put themselves earlier in the afternoon so one doesn't have to rush to collect the kids. In diners, it's always a little late, but not that late. Plenty of time to get a bite and a coffee and maybe some witty reparté with some guy named Bob who apparently lives there.
It's never breakfast-time. It's always a late dinner-time. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can wrangle a late-lunch. The point is, you should probably never ask for scrambled eggs and a fried slice. Cake or pie, the best breakfast-type food is probably a bagel, but only if it's one of the fancy ones. Spoiler alert - diners are never the fancy ones. If you want fancy, you don't go to a diner.
The newcomer to the Unsuitable Food emporium known as Joe's Dinner (yes we spelled it that way on purpose) had obviously not got the memo. The Bob on the corner and a few of the truly determined stared at the fresh-faced newbie who was very obviously Not From Around Here, who had emphasised the point by saying, "Any chance of scrambled eggs and a waffle?"
The cook, named Dan, glared over the service window at the newbie. "You want some what?"
"I haven't had breakfast, so I was hoping for some scrambled eggs and a waffle?" said the newbie. "Or is it too late?"
For a twenty-four-hour dining establishment, there is technically no such thing as 'too late', but diner's always have the hour of being 'a little late'. The dichotomy temporarily stunned Dan so much that he said, "Hey Bob... have we ever had scrambled eggs?"
"Only after a date with Maisy," crackled the Bob.
Maisy, absently spreading a spill around a table, said, "Shut up, you can't handle me."
"This is a diner," said Dan.
"Oh yeah, I noticed the spelling outside, are you sure--"
All the regulars chorussed, "Yes, it's meant to be spelled that way."
"We serve dinner," said Maisy, actually breaking out the paper towels. "If Dan's in the mood for it, you might get a lunch. You could try the pie?"
"So... no waffles?" said the newbie.
"Hey din'cha do pancakes that one time?" rumbled the Bob. "It was Marilu's birthday or sump'n..."
"Never did it again," said Dan. "Sent Marilu to the Mediks. Rough trip."
The newbie had appropriately enlarged eyes. "OkayI'lltrythepieandI'mverysorryIasked..."
[Image (c) Can Stock Photo / Elenathewise]
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