inbetween

I've always loved spending money at small businesses. It makes me happy to know that I'm not helping fund some large, evil corporation take over the world or kill little babies and toss them in the baby mulching machine(tm). One of my favourite small businesses is Cup of Joe.

The regular customers have all written some epitet or another. "Eat at Joe's" is one of my favourites, for no good reason. The staff has always been friendly. There are children's paintings from a local elementary school on the walls, proudly thanking the cup for supporting the community.

And there was a menu item dedicated to Roy.

I Can't Believe It's So Cheap Breakfast - Two eggs, pan fries, toast. Dedicated to our dear, departed friend Roy. We promise never to change this price...$2.95

A few months ago, Joe sold the Cup. Things are starting to change. Breakfast takes an hour to make it's way from the kitchen. All the waitstaff are different. And not as nice. I figured it was just a change in the management, and things would work out. They always work out, right?

The new menu came out. There's no mention of Roy, no "I can't believe it's so cheap breakfast," although there is avocado and shrimp sandwiches, aioli, and a bunch of other fancy-schmancy stuff.

Just no Roy.

Now I'm sad.

Roy dissapeared a few years ago. Vanished, really. Now the last traces of him are gone too.