Waiting on their Grits and Pancakes

 

                                                                                                                                                                 As I  clean up syrup and tea spills at the diner where I work, I can't help but giggle at the baby boomers with their eyes fixed intently on their newspapers and crossword puzzles. I must say, these oldies have a certain charm about them. I shoot one bearded man a smile while he clutches his cane and he winks back--a warm gesture, like a gentleman tipping his hat. That generation definitely understands the virtues of patience and respect. After all, they lived it. They waited 50 years for integrated toilets. I bet they can wait 20 minutes for their grits and pancakes to be ready.  A far cry from the lady who raises a ruckus about not getting cream for her coffee.
         Now, occasionally there is the old woman who decides to dress backwards: a tight shirt and jeans and angrily remarks that she's heading out to smoke a cigarette. Not a pretty sight. Yet, most of the salt-and-pepper haired ladies are nice. They remind me of the kids: give them crayons and the cartooned menu, and their set; give those grannies the post, a lighted window seat, and a warm cup of coffee, and you've got a happy camper. Seeing these oldies--the gen Xers, stuck in time--in their own generation makes me wonder what we will be fiddling with in 2075 that will make youngsters snicker at us. What will the gen Z granny look like? Perhaps we will still be touching screens on our iPhones and iPads and iWhatevers, while the technologically advanced kid across from you  at the bus stop will be using some type of holographic gizmo or watching tv through his Tele-Vision goggles. Who knows. All I know is that time is transient. The heady, sassy, curly fro-headed ladies have now become the sweet, slow, ole' grannies who need help at the door when exiting with their canes and walkers.