Big Business

Being unemployed is exhausting. This morning, I saw the Other Family Human off to jury duty, took out the trash, fed the Family Cats, took the Family Dog to a grooming appointment ('spa day', he calls it), bought some groceries and went to the DMV, all by 9:30 a.m. By that time, I needed a break, so I took myself over to Big Jim's for a donut and coffee. Both in New York and in California, I have seen the results of the recession in all too many shuttered stores and For Rent signs, going out of business sales, one inventive, "hoping to stay in business" sale and salespeople standing out on the sidewalk waiting for customers. The counter people at Big Jim's have no time for that. For the twenty minutes that I sat there, the flow of customers never stopped. Coffee and a sugar twist. Coffee and a vanilla cruller. Two large coffees and a box of assorted donuts. A container of milk and a Boston cream. It was heartening. It's nice to know that someone is doing well. Maybe we all need a little comfort food that doesn't cost too much.