The internet before Al Gore

Yeah, the joke’s tired. Sue me.

Anyway, 3-almost-4-year-old XY Tax Deduction and I went to Hy-Vee for lunch to kill some time. I love Hy-Vee’s salad bar (best grilled chicken EVER!) and XY TD loves their pizza. And canteloupe. On the same plate.

It has been my observation that on weekday mornings at Hy-Vee, there is a large number of post-retirement gentlemen sitting around, eating their farmer’s breakfasts and gossiping shooting the breeze, cussing and discussing. They seem to be mostly together, but because of tables and space, they self-select their table companions.

It has been my observation that on weekends when we go see my in-laws in southern Missouri, and we go to the local cafe for breakfast, there is a gathering of four to 10 post-retirement gentlemen sitting around, eating their farmer’s breakfasts and gossiping shooting the breeze, cussing and discussing.

It has been my observation in re-reading the Little House books for the purpose of writing Stay, Pa Ingalls, in the winter, would head out of the house and across the street to the grocery where he would watch off-season farmers play checkers and, I assume, gossip shoot the breeze, cuss and discuss.

Women have these little conclaves, too, but other than in a church-and-crafts context, I can’t think of anything comparable to men-and-their-morning-cafe-routine.

Every time I witness this, I think, “This is the internet before there was the internet.” And it still seems to be going strong. I love it. I think it’s profound in a lot of different ways, most of which I can’t articulate.

Too bad you have to be retired (or in the off season) to have it and enjoy it.

4 thoughts on “The internet before Al Gore

  • October 20, 2009 at 4:01 pm
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    .

    Offtopic, but what’s the impetus for the major redesign?

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  • October 20, 2009 at 4:05 pm
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    Wasn’t really ever happy with the old one. It was too busy–made my eyeballs cross–but I kept it because I fell in love with the header I made.

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  • October 20, 2009 at 6:08 pm
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    ROTF! When TC and I drove to Alaska (He peed on the demarcation line for the arctic circle so we own everything between champaign and there) we stopped at this little hole in the wall place in the Yukon for breakfast (200 mile round trip into “town” according to one of the guys) and there were a bunch of old guys sitting around, gossiping, drinking coffee and giving the waitress a hard time.

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  • October 20, 2009 at 6:16 pm
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    OMG! I totally forgot about the harassing the waitresses part. Yes, definitely part of the routine.

    Reply

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