Chapter 58

David was right. The sunrise was glorious ... Michigan ... Lake Michigan ... doesn’t smell like the ocean and the morning breeze is a gentle reminder that the day is ahead and there are things to do ... even if it’s just sip and stare. Ludington’s breakwater has a pair of fairly squat lighthouses that the rising sun illuminated. The north light glowed with a soft reflection of the clouds sun-show. It was quick. I knew where to look. A life at sea does that. In the twelve years of sailing, I had seen the storied green flash five times.

I Oooed and Aahhed appropriately ... but I was the only one of us that saw the white lighthouse turn the colors of the rise. The rest of them were watching the rise.

More than satisfied, I smiled at the coffee in the bottom of my cup and sipped it.

My turn.

“Missy ... the cart?” I said but then saw it at the end of our dock. “Good girl.

“Breakfast?. I’m buying.”

Four fit the golf cart. Missy behind the wheel and we were off.

This part of Filer Street isn’t ... part of Filer. It’s parking for the two Salmon Charters and the Municipal ... but it’s paved and we were driving on it ... Filer was as good a name as any other. Left on Williams and right just past Loomis. At the green Missy cut across to the alley at Rath and left again.

Across Ludington Ave, past Table 14 and Cafe 106. Table 14 was closed but 106’s doors were open ... the lights were on but nobody was there. By nobody ... I mean nobody.

We cut across the parking lot to the north corner where we found the missing crew from the 106 standing in line at Mendoza’s Food truck. If the cook and wait staff of the best breakfast diner in town eat at the Food truck ... well ... you know it’s good. I don’t blame them ... it’s only open Friday and the smells from the little exhaust fan ... well!

“Everybody ... the Princess,” Missy said really loud, “And her crew.” And her crew was lost in the greetings to the girl who ate the whole thing.

On the Michigan West Coast, Junior was forever noted as the girl who ate the whole thing. Princess didn’t make a damn compared to the notoriety of her feat.

When it was our turn, Junior stepped to the window.

“What’s good?” She asked.

“It’s ALL good,” said the strikingly beautiful high school girl on the other side.

“OKAY. I’ll have that. Some of everything.” She pointed at me. “She’s paying.”

“Make that four ... of everything,” I said.

“Whoa whoa whoa,” said David. “I don’t want everything.”

“Tough,” I said.

The strikingly beautiful girl in the window said, “Hi David. The usual?”

“Hi, Jan. Yeah.”

I gave him such a look. “You’ve been here before.” Not a question.

“Every Friday,” said Jan.

“Of course,” David said. “My butcher is here.”

I think this is NOT your regular farm market. I was right.