Two eggs sunnyside up, greasy fries and plenty of ketchup. I’d cut out the red meat, doctor’s orders.
Thirty years I’ve been coming to Ed’s Diner for lunch.
The decor has stayed the same. Green leather seats, dirty orange ceiling, chipped fake marble counter.
Ed has aged along with the building, looking out through the hatch while he grills and fries the food.
Meryl was fresh-faced when I first ordered from her. Now she was looking forward to retirement.
Ed’s closes next week for refurbishment. New owners coming in. Ed and Meryl won’t be back when it reopens. Neither will I.
Written as part of the Friday Fictioneers challenge hosted by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields (more details HERE). The idea is to write a short story of 100 words based on the photo prompt (above).
To read stories of 100 words based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Oh, nicely done Iain. Such a great atmosphere, I can almost feelt the greasy counter top! Great tale
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Thanks Lynn.
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My total pleasure 🙂
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Well done. Not everyone is all about: out with the old, in with the new. The familiar sometimes makes everything better. 🙂
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Thanks Sascha, I think I like the familiar things in life too 🙂
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🙂
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Very nice piece. So much said in so few words.
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Thank you Roger.
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Sounds like a full changing of the guard Iain. It happens often.
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There’s no stopping time.
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A lots aid here, about the place , the owners and the customers xx
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Thank you Shehanne.
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A tale told well!
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Thank you Kitty
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Welcome Iain.
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Love the atmosphere… somehow I feel that the next generation will have another menu….
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I think so, it will probably be called a bistro or something more chic.
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I’ve known a few places like that over the years. One of a kind diners which sadly have almost all been replaced by soulless franchises.
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Very much for thought I had writing this. Thanks James. I need to find time and see how your alphabet story is coming along.
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excellente! Loved it!
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Ah, thank you 🙂
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The inevitable march of time and the impact that it has. Good stuff.
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Thank you, much appreciated.
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I see this story as a lovely tribute to quite a few places where I once dined. Sadly the only real alternative, is for the proprietors to die on the job.
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Very true Michael. Perhaps Ed deserves a bit of a quiet retirement.
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Great story! I got a powerful sense of the history of this old diner.
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Thank you 🙂
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Chock one up for loyalty!!!! What a delightful take. You described an old diner, with great owners, so well. Kudos.
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Thank you Alicia, much appreciated.
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My pleasure. Always enjoy your 100-words.
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The passing of an era, an institution. There was a pool hall here, Roger’s Rec, once Roger sold out it was never the same. You captured the spirit of the customer well, Iain. Good job.
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Thank you.
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I could feel the air of melancholy, sense the reluctance to say goodbye to memories. A tale lovingly told, Iain.
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Thank you Annie
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I have to agree with everyone, Iain. Great atmosphere. I could almost smell the grease from the fried stuff! They just don’t make ’em like that anymore. And when they try to… they just try too hard! 😀
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Thanks Dale, the downside to globalisation, we’re all eating the same things in the same places.
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Lovely story, great atmosphere!
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Many thanks 🙂
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Such great atmosherics. You have captured the onsluaght of globalsiation and the meek surrender of innocence to it. Great writing, Lian. Reading you has now become a ritual. Excellent writing.
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Ah, very kind Neel, glad you are enjoying my efforts.
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Some change is just no good. Lovely story.
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Thank you Claire.
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Sad, the end of an era.
Yeah, I’m sure cutting out the red meat will make all the difference. Don’t worry about the greasy chips and fried eggs 🙂
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The doctor may have requested those too, but there’s only so much a man can be expected to give up!
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Those old places were like our well worn jackets … shabby and comfortable.
Lovely description.
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Many thanks
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It wouldn’t be the same under new management, would it? Your story has a passing of generations as mine does while still being different. Great descriptions, Iain. I could see the place. Good writing. 🙂 — Suzanne
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Thank you 🙂
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But of sad nostalgia there Iain. Time moves on.
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Thanks Laurie, it does indeed.
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The end of an era, aye? I totally get it. Ed’s will never be the same without Ed, will it? Nice description. I could smell the grease. Ha!
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Thanks Honie.
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I agree with Sasha. There are certain places that are special because they are familiar and they have a feel about them. Enjoyed this.☺
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Thank you 🙂
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You are welcome indeed.
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Dear Iain,
Years ago I worked in a little hamburger place. It had been on the same corner for years, run and owned by Ed and Frances. The place was famous for cheap tacos and the best homemade onion rings in the world. (I made and ate plenty of them.) When Ed and Frances decided to retire and sell the place, a young man took it over and updated it. Within months he went out of business.
Your well written story brought back these memories. I could smell the greasy french fries.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Thanks Rochelle, glad it brought back happy memories, especially the coincidental choice of name! 🙂
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“New improved” is not necessarily how things are. I often dread seeing those two words on something that had nothing wrong with it in the first place. Refurbishments to establishments that have been there for decades have to be carried out with great sensitivity, if they’re not going to drive long-standing customers away. I guess that the owners of the business hope to attract a new clientele, but quite often a business goes bust because people go elsewhere whilst the place is closed, and don’t necessarily return. I’ve certainly seen this happen with shops. In fact, I’ve done an Ed and Meryl on one of my local shops recently.
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I can hear the dishes clanking.. Order UP! Well written I enjoyed it Iian.
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Thank you 🙂
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When I travelled for work I would always use a transport cafe when I could. Man-sized bacon sandwiches and big mugs of tea – lovely!
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Sounds good!
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The people that bought my bistro from me tried to change it. They lost an awful lot of money. People still stop me in the street and say how much they miss it. Oh well…!
Click to read my Friday Fiction
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It’s nice to be missed. I hope they found somewhere else to eat!
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A lifetime in 100 words! Very nice Iain 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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It’s not always all about the food. Sometimes it’s about who makes and serves the food. I loved your story, Iain. :o)
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Thank you
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Diners really do bring out feelings of comfort and needed predictability in a too transient world. I hate when an iconic establishment disappears. Nicely done.
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Thanks Jo.
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I get a great sense of sadness from this – the ending of an era and none of the characers will be better for it, I fear. Loved the descriptions – ‘dirty orange ceiling, chipped fake marble counter’ – they say so much.
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Thank you Sarah Ann, glad you liked it.
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Nicely written, you made the greasy diner come alive. Love the last line.
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The story of the diner and the people who love it–I can almost taste the food! Great one.
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Thank you Emily 🙂
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You’ve done an excellent job describing the setting.
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Many thanks
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Dirty orange ceilings and greasy fries can be a comfort. Some things should not change.
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You really caught the atmosphere of the diner. It reminds me of so many English pubs that have been refurbished into modern soulless places.
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Definitely a curse of modernisation.
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Well told Iain. The regret and sense of loyalty come across brilliantly
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Thank you Michael.
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