What do you do early in the morning? I suspect your answer would be something like \u201cI get up and go to work.\u201d If you are like most people you are pulling out of the driveway no later than 7:30 AM. But what happens when you are on vacation? Well then you probably leave at 5:00 AM to beat the rush hour traffic and get a head start on your way to New Hampshire, Maine, or whatever other state is 3-4 hours from your home. Right around 7:30 AM you drop into a McDonald’s in a neighboring state (Exit 9A, Food & Gas) for coffee and a\u00a0tasty breakfast. You quickly notice that the place is already populated with 3 or 4 groups of \u2018regulars\u2019 who are deep in conversation with their buddies. If you were to ask around you might find that these neighborly enclaves meet on a schedule, may it be every day or once a week.<\/p>\n
I noticed these friendly fraternities some years ago but only recently have I become an eager participant. The tipping point for me was when I was laid off from work. That gave me more time in the morning to hook up with some mostly retired ham radio operator friends of mine. Every Wednesday at 7:30 AM we convene at our local McDonald’s. We have plenty of room and nobody cares if we stay for an hour or two. Our conversation touches on numerous topics, some grand and some trivial, that almost never precipitate any serious argument. We like it that way. There is a lot to be said for having friends and meeting with them regularly. It\u2019s a part of life we don\u2019t want to miss out on. It\u2019s one more treat to look forward to. It is so American.<\/p>\n
By the way, I recommend the $1.00 large coffee and the Fruit\u00a0‘N Yogurt Parfait as the perfect healthy breakfast.<\/p>\n