The smell of bacon and pancakes fills the air of the Cracker Barrel. Customers' car engines purr as they pull into the parking lot of the restaurant. The crisp morning air blows against my back, pushing me back and forth. Eventually, the old couple that owns the restaurant comes and flips over the open sign.
I live a good life, for a rocking chair. I reside on the patio of the Cracker Barrel, where I enjoy people-watching and observing nature. Another rocking chair sits across from me, who, unlike me and my white paint, is plain oak wood. Oak and I have become great friends over the years of sitting in front of the restaurant, where it would have become lonely without another rocking chair to talk to. We amuse ourselves by criticizing the
…show more content…
Parks, worked at my Cracker Barrel when she was young, and she would always come sit with me on her break. Occasionally, she would bring a friend to talk with, but it was usually just her who visited. That is, until Mr. Parks came along.
Mr. Parks’s arrival as a new employee irked Mrs. Parks, who had to train him. “I just can’t believe him!” she whined to one of her friends one day when she was on break.
"You ought to at least give him a chance." Mrs. Parks's friend replied with a smile, "He might just surprise you.'
“He's already broken at least six plates and he's only been here for two days. On top of that, he never cleans up after himself, and is incredibly rude and clumsy!"
"That's true, but you weren't the epitome of grace when you started either, and you got better," the friend said. "Come on, just get to know him a little. Once you get him talking, he's a nice guy."
"Fine," Mrs. Parks huffed.
The next time Mrs. Parks came back for her break, she did not come alone. A young Mr. Parks joined her, following behind Mrs. Parks shyly. Mrs. Parks and Mr. Parks sat with Oak and I, and the air was filled with silence as each waited for the other to speak. Mrs. Parks was finally the one to talk.
"Want to play some checkers?" she
…show more content…
We'll have to play checkers at home."
"It's not the same," she sobs. "I'll miss it here."
"Me too," Mr. Parks whispers, "Me too."
Oak and I look each other worriedly. What will this mean for us? Neither of us get a wink of sleep waiting for the next morning to come, and everything that would change with it.
Finally, the sun rises, and the restaurant becomes active as normal. As I look around, though, it becomes clear that today is not a regular day. Instead of the soft growl of customers' cars, there are roaring engines of giant moving vans. The normal smell of bacon and pancakes that accompanies breakfast hour is absent. I look over to where the open sign should be flashing blue and red, but it is gone too. My Cracker Barrel is closed.
The worst part of all this, however, is that Oak is nowhere to be found. I watch as the movers put the rest of the rocking chairs around me into a van, and I assume that the van must be where Oak is. I wait for my turn to be hauled into the van, but instead of putting me with the rest of the rocking chairs, I am put in a smaller van, where an assortment of furniture was. The mover put a tag on me, which read: TO BE
Each one complimented the other and it was as if they were two halves of one whole. Like many things in life, they each secretly enjoyed the immediate surroundings of the other. As much as Nel regarded the neatness of her house with dread, Sula felt the house to be comfortable and relished the neatness. On the same token, Sula disliked the disarray and lack of privacy in her house, but Nel found it to be a welcome change and a taste of real life. Sula and Nel found friendship in each other, because they were both lonely people. When they were young girls, they would go to Edna Finch’s Mellow House together to purchase ice cream. The ice cream representing the end of one’s life, the real treat was on getting there. They looked forward to the looks and sly comments of the boys as they made their way to the ice cream parlor, and as most girls do, exhibited an air of indifference while secretly relishing in the attention they received. It was an ...
“Miss Brill was glad that she had decided on her “fur” for that Sunday afternoon in the park. Her little friend she wore around her neck would be the perfect companion to enjoy such a beautiful day. After going to the park and sitting down, Miss Brill wishes to talk with the other people sitting about, but they never make a sound, though after this she admits to listening to their conversations. “She had become really quite expert, she thought, at listening as though she didn’t listen, at sitting in other people’s lives just for a minute while they talked round her.” Within moments, Miss Brill is commenting on other people: The old people who sat on the benches like statues, the little children running here and there, a beautiful woman accidentally dropping violets on the floor, and once a little boy picks them up and tries to...
It was a sunny day with a sweet aroma of blooming tulips. The sunlight glittered on their faces as the breeze rattled the chestnut tree above. There was an occasional giggle as they talked, but there was also a hint of discomfort and awkwardness between them as they peeked at each other’s face and recoiled when the other looked up. When the bell rang twice, I saw them say goodbye and walk away from each other. In the darkness of the crowd, a glimmer flashed into my eyes from Hannah’s cheeks.
According to Demos, the consumer revolution offered choices for those who could afford the Philadelphia Chippendale chair. For example, "a well-to-do tobacco planter and his wife ...would explore new possibilities for furnishing and decorating their house" . This supports the idea of free choice and moving in a pattern supporting the idea of progress. A description of the Chippendale chair would include that it is hand carved by highly skilled journeymen cabinetmakers that have fashioned ornamentation out of mahogany wood. These craftsman have added a generously padded seat for comfort, with a hand carved S-shaped wide back that's tapered down to the seat. The chair measures 36"7/8 inches in height and the seat is 23"3/4 from the floor. The front legs of the chair are carved in a ball and claw design reflecting Chinese culture, which reflected the linear movement during this time approximately the year 1750, which demonstrated moving away from the modern classical period. The Philadelphia Chippendale chair clearly symbolizes the transformation from cyclical rhythm to linear rhythm.
The sun had just set and all the street lights had begun to turn on to help see through the dark alleys. Just before we began to close the store something surprisin...
Park is quite clearly confused, and throughout this whole conversation, has barely any idea what his mother is even talking about. However, the most important part of this scene is later, when Park’s father enters his room looking for his mother, saying softly from the doorway for her to come to bed. “‘Your mother just wants you to be happy,’ he said to Park. ‘Don’t puss out on our account’” (190), and afterwards helps her up with care and leaves his bedroom. This caring and love that is shown in this scene between Mr. and Mrs. Sheridan further plays into the theme, showing readers how true love stories can show themselves after many years, and what that looks
"Then I started shooting the old crap around a little bit. "He adapts himself very well to things. He really does. I mean he really knows how to adapt himself."
In the short story “Miss Brill,” written by Katherine Mansfield, a third person omniscient point of view describes Miss Brill’s usual trip to the park. At the beginning of Miss Brill’s day she is excited with anticipation to show off her fur and listen to the bands play at the park. More importantly, Miss Brill had what she called her special seat from which she would sit and overhear other people’s conversations. She even considered herself an expert at this: “she thought, as listening as though she didn’t listen, at sitting in other people’s lives just for a minute while they talked round her” (43). Toward the end of the night, after observing numerous different people and occurrences, an appealing young couple takes the seats next to Miss
A host of tragic figures inhabit the diner. Memphis' struggle with the city is essential to his fate of returning south to get back the land cruel taken from his by white men. Sterling--just out of prison--is stymied in his attempts to, by any means possible, support himself. Risa, the waitress, has scarred her legs in an attempt to escape the prison of physical beauty. Finally, perhaps a symbol of them all, is Hambone. Tens years ago he painted the grocer's fence, but was paid a chicken when he felt he had earned a ham. Every day for ten years he has confronted the grocer, requesting and demanding his ham, until by now the only phrases he utters are "I want my ham." and "He gonna give me my ham."
Ms. Flowers noticed Marguerite, sets time apart for her, and encourages her to have an opinion. The relationship between Ms. Flowers and Marguerite began with simple smiles from Ms. Flowers which eventually became an
Mr. Fitweiler brings in Mrs. Barrows to cut some cost in the company. Mrs. Barrows has been very busy cutting cost as well as jobs. Mr. Martin notices that Mrs. Barrows is starting to pay close attention to him and his department. Stopping by his office and dropping phrases that he does not understand. This begins to annoy Mr.
At Chipotle, a Mexican fast food restaurant, the customer approached the first station where he ordered a burrito. The first employee asked “What can I get started for you?” The customer then replied with “Andrew will get a chicken burrito.” The employee proceeded then to warm a tortilla and ask the customer what kind of rice and beans he would like. The customer responded in similar fashion, saying, “Andrew will take some brown rice and no beans.” It was then that the customer began to look at the customer with a confused look. She did not say anything, and she continued to keep creating the burrito. When the customer went to the next part of the burrito-creating process (with a new employee), he did not begin his responses with “Andrew will have” but rather stating what he wanted on the burrito (e.g. “pico, sour cream and cheese, please.”). The next employee was the cashier, responsible for ringing up the customer for his food. The cashier asked the customer if the burrito was going to be it for him. The customer responded with “That’s going to be it for Andrew today.” The cashier then acknowledged the customer and then proceeded to check the customer out. Once the checkout was completed, the customer said “Thank you,” and left the restaurant.
It was a warm day in August, the cool air washing over my body as I enter the building the bell ringing as I enter the building to SA. I wave to the cashier I forget her name now, but she had kind eyes and her blonde hair was pulled back into a low ponytail. I continued back towards A&W and picked up the brown trays on top of the trashes, as if by instinct. I pushed in the door, said my hellos to my coworkers and walked the trays to the sink. It
Miss Brill’s main quality of loneliness is seen through events described by Mansfield. Throughout the short story of “Miss Brill,” it is difficult to understand Miss Brill because she does not understand herself. She has adapted to a routine lifestyle, in which every Sunday she would spend the entire afternoon at the local park in isolation. In her mind, everyone around her is a part of her simple imagination when in fact Miss Brill only sits alone seemingly frantically in search of companionship. “Only two people share her "special" seat: a fine old man in a velvet coat… and a big old woman, sitting upright, with a roll of knitting on her embroidered apron. They did not speak. This was disappointing, for Miss Brill always looked forward to the conversation” (201). Seen through the eyes of Miss Brill, this is a sad and pathetic existence. Mansfield il...
The story introduces Sally in her natural state, looking out the window of her fifty-two year old home in the quiet town of Tarleston. It is made apparent that Sally has grown weary of her