Sometime during the road trip, after I had drifted off to sleep, my sister would shove me awake. I remember that she would still look kind of groggy herself, like someone else had just woke her before me.
"Put your shoes on, we're at Denny's."
Talk about some magical words. I would put my shoes on and we would make our way out of the van. Everyone's hair was disheveled and it was perfect. It was always between the hours of 11 - 2am each time we'd make a stop. After talking to my mom, she clarified that it was the Denny's in Grapevine. My dad would grab a plate of pancakes and a couple of cups of coffee. We got whatever we wanted. I usually got a hamburger.
My clearest memory of late night Denny's was when I was 11. We were just about done and the place was dead. The staff must have been made up of college kids. They lined up the dining chairs and had a race. It was exciting. I think I had put the occupation of "waitress" on my list of things I wanted to do at that moment.
Before I had my daughter....late night dining was always on my list of things to do. My husband and I would meet up with friends, hang out then make our way over to Denny's or to its rival IHOP. I don't know what it is about late-night dining that I miss. Maybe the freedom, the way hot food tastes on a late chilly night, laughing about splitting the check...who knows.
My husband told me that his dad would bring hamburgers in the middle of the night and he'd be up at 1am half eating/half sleeping. I can imagine him trying to hold his head up with one hand and trying to eat a burger with the other.
I think when my kid is older, we'll keep up that little tradition. When I was a kid, it was an adventure. It was fun yummy spontaneity and I can't wait to start it up again.
It is great yummy spontaneity! Hurrah for waffles in the middle of the night!
ReplyDeleteNow that we're home more often, I should make pancakes and sides at 2am...of course it would have to be a Friday...and be done quietly as to not wake anyone up...how things have changed.
DeleteI enjoy late-night dining. I like IHOP, especially the strawberry pancakes. In college I picked up the habit (and fun) of eating in the wee hours of the morning. We'd cram for exams, slurp coffee and munch whatever was itching at our hunger.
ReplyDeleteEver see drunks come in when eating out late? At times they are hilarious, but I have experienced some obnoxious monsters as well.
One time (not at band camp), I was devouring some sausage and eggs at a table. Next to me was a booth and the guy ordered pancakes and onion rings. A drunk made a snide remark pertaining to the guy's choce and boom! a fight was on.
You never know what you will see, hear or experience when dining late, thus I suppose that is why I continue to make a habit of it.
1976 Chevy van? Oh, the memories!
Yes, I've seen my share of characters while dining out during haunting hours. There was a Denny's that was located next to a Castle Boutique. That's all I'm going to say about that. My brother used to work the late shift at an IHOP and he'd love the 2am drunk rush....most of the time. The first time my husband and I went out for late night dining as a married couple, we thought we were so cool that we could have breakfast whenever we wanted. We were 19 and 20 so ...yeah. Fun times.
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