I guess I knew I would be one day be one of those people but didn't imagine that it would be this year.
But there I was, Thursday afternoon, walking into a Denny's restaurant for dinner. By myself. With a newspaper under my arm. At 4:00 in the afternoon.
You thought it was just a comic's punch line right - that old people eat dinner at Denny's at 4 p.m.? Nope, it's true. And I am now one of them.
I am not often the youngest customer in a restaurant but that day I was by at least 25 years. There were only two tables in play when I arrived. It looked like a couple in their 80s at one table and two men and two women, all of whom must have been in their 90s at another.
Only catching fragments of the bigger table's conversation I did hear the words, "stroke," "nursing home," and "50 years ago." All four of them were still wearing their coats and hats too although they were well into their meals. Either they were cold inside the Denny's or they forgot they had them on when they came in. 
I have to admit it was a pretty sweet time. That Denny's is usually pretty packed and I enjoyed the relative quiet while I leisurely enjoyed my Seattle Times. The grilled chicken was good, the coffee endless, and the in-house music system provided an enjoyable soundtrack of 1970 soft rock hits. "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Could It Be I'm Falling In Love" seemed right on but I questioned Grand Funk Railroad's "We're An American Band" as dinner music.
Usually I have someplace to dash off to after dinner but that day when the bill came it was still not even 5:00 so I languished a little and decided to splurge for a Coke float too. Good times. We old people know how to live. Now stay off of my lawn!
Your leaving out the ending of a perfect day.
And that's getting home by six, having a glass
of warm milk with a cookie and watching reruns
of Lawrence Welk.
Posted by: Geo | January 26, 2008 at 04:33 AM
Just another reason why you are my hero. I love me some 5:00 dinner. No waiting, no crowds and home just before the rest of the world starts to think about going out for dinner. bliss. But where's Godzilla?? Is he home yet??
Posted by: Maria | January 26, 2008 at 05:23 AM
Hey Bean, "Memento mori."
Posted by: Dick | January 26, 2008 at 09:41 AM
Oh Bean, my sweet Bean, I too enjoy the quiet before the storm.... my personal favorite is Mimi's Cafe where I watch all the old people try and decide what juice to have that won't upset their stomach!! hahhaha
Posted by: angie | January 26, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Bean - you are so freakin' cool you don't even know it!
Posted by: cathy g. | January 26, 2008 at 05:15 PM
Oh, I'm about your age (I think) and I would eat lunch by 11 am and dinner at 4 pm every night if I could
Posted by: Diane | January 26, 2008 at 05:19 PM
Bean, you are the man. Donna is a lucky lady to have someone as quirky as you.
Posted by: LiLa & Pookie | January 26, 2008 at 08:26 PM
It's cuz we get up so effin' early. I'm at work by 6, have my lunch at 11:30 and like my dinner around 5. Like the previous poster said...no crowds--its great. I do wish my favorite ramen place opened earlier than 5:30 though.
Posted by: Mary | January 26, 2008 at 09:12 PM
Were you able to get the 25 cent cup of coffee that the seniors get? haha jk...
Denny's has the best appetizer sampler...chicken strips..mozzarella sticks...and onion rings which you can sub for fries...Also their coca-cola is probably the best around and even tops pepsi which is the only place that can do that
Posted by: Raul | January 27, 2008 at 07:33 AM
Our local IHOP is packed on Tuedays due to "Senior Discount Night". And, now they've added "Scrabble Night" to Tuesday. We're not happy when we drive into the parking lot and it's packed. We all say, "Oh no! It's old people night!" Considering we forget about Tuesdays we should be inside playing Scrabble to keep our minds sharp so we don't forget - again!
Posted by: Gail | January 27, 2008 at 08:37 AM
MMMMMMM, coke float. Love to Godzilla!
Posted by: Janet | January 27, 2008 at 04:22 PM
I often find myself pushing dinner back deliberately in the day so I'm not doing exactly what you did.
Posted by: EditThis | January 27, 2008 at 05:23 PM
Dude, you just look like a serial killer. Has anybody checked your basement, made sure there aren't the corpses of 30-odd teenaged boys down there?
No offense or whatever.
Posted by: Frances | January 27, 2008 at 06:37 PM
Bean--
Well, if you want to help your case for avoiding being one of the old, weird people...maybe you oughtta think about cutting that hair...
Tiffiny
Posted by: Tiffiny Whitney | January 29, 2008 at 09:12 AM
Bean, after reading this, I am seriously gonna consider taking my own life because I may very well end up being like you when I reach middle age. I'm 27 and I too enjoy having a quiet meal alone at a restaurant such as Denny's with a complete copy of the day's L.A. Times. Talk about a wake up call!
Posted by: Brian | January 29, 2008 at 03:39 PM