Front Royal Is Nice People

Read really close to the page. What follows might be contagious and you may want some for yourself. It happens. It happened to me. This is a true story, twice.

Part I – The Incidence at Mom’s. My favorite breakfast place is Mom’s. Good food and a friendly staff. Best of all, from my point of view, virtually only locals know Mom’s even exists, which lends a comforting air of hominess about the place. There must be a lot of hungry locals because it’s often packed with familiar faces. The ever-present hum at meal times is the sound of family.

So, on this particular day, a week or so ago, I went to Mom’s for breakfast; crowded as usual. I ended up at a table for four, alone. Hunger overcame any guilt I had about taking up a space better suited to a larger party, and ordered my usual corned beef hash, two eggs-up, and rye toast, The day was starting good, and then it got even better.

Halfway through the corned beef hash my waitress stops by my table, points at my food and says, “Don’t worry. It’s all taken care of.”

“What’s all taken care of?” I asked.

“Your breakfast. Somebody paid for your breakfast.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Can’t tell you,” she replied in a firm tone that suggested I not ask again, and then threw me twinkling eyes that said I should just enjoy my good fortune.

Who did it? I had to know. I looked at every patron and there wasn’t a soul that I knew that day who may have pulled it off. Not knowing otherwise, I had to conclude that anyone in the restaurant could have been the generous soul, thereby forcing me to bestow on every table a benevolent smile thanking each for their generosity. My awkward smile and accompanying nod of gratitude got some strange looks. The tables closest to me overheard the waitress informing me of my good fortune and returned my look with laughter.

Never found out who the culprit was but it seemed we all benefitted by the gesture. Nothing like this has ever happened to me in my life. It was unique. For all I know anyone in town could have paid for my breakfast so now I smile at everyone I see. I look ridiculous. Whoever paid for my meal probably figured the entertainment value alone was well worth the price, my look of wonderment being desert.

 Part II – The Convenience Store.

Not more than three days later the same thing happened only at a convenience store instead of Mom’s, and for a Coke instead of corned beef hash. There was a backed-up line of maybe six people waiting to pay. When it got to the fellow in front of me, the counterman reaches out around him to scan my soda along with his purchases.

“What are you doing?” I said.

“He’s paying for you,” he replied, pointing to the now smiling face in front of me, topped off with a wink. I was struck dumb, speechless. What do you say to such a thing. A thank you just doesn’t seem adequate, appreciative enough.

Never before in my life, have I been the recipient of such good hearted, imaginative generosity, now twice within one week. Is the planet going through a kindly patch in the ether, is it the magic of Front Royal, or just me? Do I have a sign on my back? Was my obituary in the local news? Am I famous? Something really strange is going on. The only thing I know for certain is that there are really nice people here in Front Royal. Twice in one week. Ain’t that something.

Jay Buckner
Front Royal, VA

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