My daughter received the devastating news a couple of weeks ago; one of her favorite restaurants was for sale because the owners are retiring. I was driving by when I saw the sign and read it out loud. My daughter began to cry. “But they can’t retire. My friend is there. I don’t know where she lives,” she said. “I think they would be back; maybe all they need is a vacation.” I explained what retirement meant, and that I doubted they would be back after it sold. She wanted to go there for dinner that night. I said okay even though we were just there for lunch the a couple of days before.
I continued to drive on to pick up my husband. My daughter was still crying. I was trying to console her. Then she said, “They can’t retire. They have made my life better.” What could I say? I was stunned that she used those words and had that realization, but it all was true.
When we first were here visiting my husband who came down here more than six months before us, we had gone there to eat on his recommendation. The front person, the owner’s daughter, was friendly, outgoing, and made you feel part of the place right away. She talked to my daughter about her sunglasses and her cuteness. That was it, my daughter was hooked.
Now, she greets my daughter as her friend or girlfriend every time we go in. They often hug. She remembers that my daughter got roller skates for Christmas and asks how she is doing on them. They talk about how she is growing and my daughter introduces family and friends when we take them there. (Also, the food is really good.)
When we went there for dinner after getting my husband from work and I held my breath because I had no idea what my daughter would say. I finally breathed after we ordered and chatted without my daughter mentioning the retirement. Just after our food was brought to our table my daughter asks us, “Do you think they are going to retire while we are eating?”
