"Booths too, with cracked vinyl seats. "

quelle horreur, mon ami!

c'est domage, dammit.

i wasn't expecting Waffle House, Denny's or IHOP to litter topography of france, italy, or portugal... but your charming and honest essay has me quaking in my after-hours grunge.

i have hard-won and celebrated history in greasy-spoons and no bullshit dives on both coasts of 'amurica'... and to think of bidding adieu, adios, or ciao to my low-brow [and COMFORT FOOD & ITS CAST OF CHARACTERS... moi included] makes me shudder.

i need to 'digest' this... before i do something rash.

great piece... horrifyingly enlightening as it were.

:-/

<3<3<3