coffee, waffles & goodbyes

Last night ended up being Tori's last night to work at Waffle House. She had a wonderful night. Her 3 favorite old men Mr. Don, Cowboy & Glenn all came in to have her wait on them one last time and say goodbye to their favorite waitress. John & I were there, along with Tori's best friend Natalie (who is down visiting from Missouri) when Cowboy & Mr.Don were. As Cowboy got up and got ready to pay his check, he hugged Tori goodbye then came over to our table. He then talked for 5 minutes about how much he loved our girls. (Meg worked there also from age 16-18) how he has their graduation pictures on his Ice Box...and he tells everyone that they are his granddaughters and his favorite waitresses. Then he started talking about how smart and caring and loving they are towards everyone. How he has watched them mature, that they will make their mark on this world. It made John & I so proud. I had a hard time not crying. He also said all this with plenty of, Dadgumits. He says Dadgumit a lot. Sweet man.

Glenn, he is a hoot!!! If you don't get to filling his coffee cup when he is ready...he will go behind the counter and get his own!! He'll even fill yours up if you need it.

Mr. Don. Quiet man who still pours concrete at the age of 75. This man has been sweet to my daughter's as well. When he would take his wife to work he would go have coffee and wouldn't leave until the girls got off work. He would walk them to their car so no harm would come to them. Someone asked him the other day, "Who is your favorite, Meg or Tori"? He said, "I was floored, I love them both equally. How could I choose".
John & I went over to say bye to Mr. Don...he told me he drove all the way over to see Tori and was so upset when he didn't see her car (Natalie drove her to work and hung out there the entire shift) he decided he might as well go in...then he was extremely happy to see her pretty face! He then told me that my girls mean so much to him. They are like granddaughters to him and how much he will miss them. Natalie and Tori walked him out and he hugged them both. They stood outside for a good five minutes and he told them that he didn't wanna leave. Natalie said she thought she saw a tear in his eye as he hugged Tori bye for the fourth time.
Here is Mr. Don & Tori on her last day...

Tori & Natalie. What a best friend, huh? To stay at the Waffle House your entire shift.

The tears just keep coming.