Love and Waffles, Part II

I've come to realize that the cliche is true:  The best things in life are free . . . or close to it.  This Valentine's Day was, by far, the least expensive I have ever experienced, but it also was the best one I have ever experienced . . . my wife concurs, which is the only thing that matters in such matters.  And, yes, the day of love included Waffle House . . . for many more than myself and my wife, it appears.

Normally, Waffle House parking lots glow yellow under their distinctive signage, which makes them easy to spot from a distance.  But on Valentine's Day, Waffle House glowed pink.  Yes, pink.  To celebrate Valentine's Day, the Waffle House on Cheshire Bridge Road in Atlanta covered its lights with red paper, which gave the place a warm pink glow as we drove into the parking lot.

Waffle House was a melting pot on Valentine's Day, and it was packed with an odd array of characters and caricatures: rich white guys and their cackling dates; red-faced red necks; rappers and raunchy women; transvestites and butch lesbians; curious college students; and us.  Even before we walked in, I could tell from the cars in the parking lot that it would be a venture in people watching, evidence that Waffle House's Valentine's Day candlelight dinner marketing effort paid off.  Every other car was a Mercedes or a Lexus, it seemed, and the guests ranged from flat broke to flashy black-tie.  From the looks of things when we arrived, the place was busy all day long; it was a bit trashy, even by Waffle House standards.  But we were not deterred from our Love and Waffles objective for one moment.  When I spoke to Carol, the manager who took my reservation earlier in the week, she said that she had never taken so many calls, and that the place had never been so busy.  And I suspect Waffle House will stay busy beyond Valentine's Day.

They say that only the strong survive.  I say that in this economy, only the cheap survive.  Cheap products and cheap people.  Wal*Mart announced a hefty profit last quarter, while all other retailers struggle to keep their doors open.  I heard once that after a nuclear holocaust, only two things would survive:  Cockroaches and Cher.  Add to the list Wal*Mart and Waffle House.

Comments

[charyl]

I am hungry for waffles now. I think Ray and I are going to go there for our anniversary tomorrow. Thank you for the idea.

I love being your sister. Charyl

[Jim Mc Mahon]

Joel, right on-Glad you and Michelle enjoyed your Waffle House Dinner. I liked your comment about how only the cheap survive. How true.

Good Job