Power breakfast

For about 8 years or so, I've been a regular every Thursday morning at the Bethesda Tastee Diner to have breakfast with my 2 business partners at EDG Architects. We follow the same routine--discuss current jobs, prospects, and pipeline projects, as well as the chatter that fills the nooks and crannies of the formatted business conversation over the same 3 weekday specials (2 eggs over easy, turkey bacon, wheat toast, and a side of hash browns to share). It's so routine that sometimes it's boring, but I keep reminding myself that it's the one weekly opportunity to really communicate with the two other people that keep the business running. So sometimes I speak my mind, or one of the others' mind is spoken to me, and it can get pretty heated. Ultimately we resolve the issues and move on--nothing personal.

A few years ago there was a fire at the Tastee D, and we had to enjoin our weekly repast at some other greasy spoons in the area. After 3 months or so of renovation, we were able to go back and sit in the familiar surroundings. Our familiar waitress came over to us, and without missing a beat she said "The usual?", to which we nodded, not really knowing what we were going to get. Sure enough, three weekday specials showed up as if we had just been there last week. What a pro. Someone so committed to her work that she remembers the details that we all take for granted. Now that's personal.