I’m sitting here at a café. It’s late morning on a Friday. The drive in was not too bad, except for the fact that my car was out of windshield fluid. The slush splattering onto the car made it hard for me to see.

Note to self, get windshield fluid.

I’m sipping hot chocolate. Not normal hot chocolate. Mine is festive. It has sprinkles of peppermint in it. As if to let my insides know that the season is upon us. I think it may be working.

This place is very noisy, but in a good way. Lots of groups sharing lots of laughter. Christmas sweaters on display; as well as perfectly coiffed silver hair, booming tenor sounds, happy children squealing in delight.

Young ladies in black with black headsets on stroll throughout the place. Smiling, but with the professional look of “I’m here to serve, but am already serving someone”. It’s odd that all the employees here are women.

One of them climbs up a ladder to erase the breakfast features from the chalk board. The lunch special for today is a Tuna Sandwich. I wonder if I’ll stay here that long.

The Christmas decorations are muted. Gold flower arrangements. Snow dusted apple boughs. Understated wreaths. There is a fireplace in the far corner with a Santa and an Elf precariously perched. A couple of nutcrackers standing guard.

Amid this sea of joy, I see an older couple sitting next to each other at a booth. Both are perusing the paper. The gentleman doesn’t have bifocals, and so is doing the “squint over the glasses” thing, with his chin tucked into his neck. I thought they were silently disconnected, until I saw him lean over to his partner, and share something he had just read. She doesn’t seem all that amused. Oh, another older couple just joined them. Her face has lit up.

It’s a good day here. Even though the actual purpose for my coming here didn’t occur, I am glad I came.

My spirits are lifted.