A Diner at Midnight

The stillness of the diner was broken by the old grandfather clock chiming faintly in the background. The clock struck midnight and I felt an uneasy quiver in my stomach. The nights have always been mystical and elusive to me. What is ordinary in the light of the day can easily turn to be quite the opposite in the darkness of the night. Yet here I am, at Jim’s Diner, sipping nervously through my coffee and wondering whether it was the right decision to come to this place. Little did I know that this diner and this night would change my life completely.

From the outside, Jim’s Diner was just like any other diner on the highway. Broken neon sign, dreary gray building, abandoned parking lot and upturned trash cans. I assured myself that this would be the perfect place for staying low for a couple of hours. Yet, from the moment I stepped inside, I had this strange feeling. Something did not seem right. There was something in the air that could only be felt but not explained. The interior was gloomy and poorly lit. It was almost difficult to see a person if he sitting in the table next to yours. It seemed completely abandoned. Frayed wallpapers were covered with black and white charred sketches of the Arizona wildlife. The tables and chairs were shabbily dressed. An old man sat at the counter. A grumpy looking lady ambled dejectedly towards me with a menu. The menu card was so old; one could barely decipher the writing. It took me quite some time to find out something that would keep me engaged in this place for a while. My order did not seem to impress the lady much. She walked away with in the same demeanor.

I sat there waiting for my food. Everything around me looked gloomy. Even the badly folded napkins seemed to cry out for some colors in their mundane off-white life. The lady appeared with my order. A white plate with broken edges and a solitary piece of steak sandwiched between two parched loaves. A black mug with ‘I Love NY’ written on its side accompanied the plate. I sat there, looking at my food – a Burger, fast food. Food that people would rather throw out than finish. It’s easy; it tastes alright but doesn’t really provide you with any nourishment. Within that split moment, I came face to face with my life. Every single element in that diner is a component of my otherwise empty life. The furniture, the mundane walls, the gloomy lady, the food, all reminded me of my failures, my inability to stand up and face the challenge in life. All along, I had been running away from life; a loner, a loser. It was time to stand up. I made up my mind, and got up to make a phone call.

So here I am, back to my table, sipping through my coffee, no longer nervous. Hard to believe that only an hour ago, I hit a person on the road with my car. Before I came to this diner, I was adamant of leaving the incident behind and starting afresh with a clean conscience. But the mystery of the night enshrouded my cloak of dishonor. It brought me closer to my humane side. Soon the cops will be here to take me in. I wait once more, but this time, with a smile, for I have finally taken the right decision.