It's coming on...turkeys

Unfortunately, annually and about this time of year I fall into what my father affectionately refers to as the Slough of Despond, aka the Holiday Blues. I really couldn't tell you what precipitates this change in me - it may be the cold weather, which makes me balk and spit and cry and whine, or it just may be that people get so stressed out about making the season perfect that they tend to forget it's meant to be a joyous, appreciative time. With that in mind, knowing that the next few days tend to be the most frantic days for chefs and hosts of all kinds, I'm taking a minute away from my everyday cynicism to be thankful and recognize some of the things that make me smile about working on 13th Street.
First and foremost, I have to say that the regulars we have here are truly amazing. No joke. I mean yeah, some of them are completely...unique. Like butterflies. Weird ones. But what family isn't a little skewed?? You see the same people every day, and when you don't it's a distinct aberration. We get to know them by name (ok sometimes just by their coffee preference...) to the point where if a whole gaggle show up at once it tends to muck up the works for those who are only here for some coffee and gelato, and not to shoot the breeze. I got the strangest look from a newcomer yesterday because I was questioning one of our morning coffee regulars about the status of his cat, and how her broken leg was healing after an Evel Knievel style leap from a tree. This, I realized later, isn't the most common thing. I made some lopsided crack to a barista the other day as I was fixing my own coffee only to receive the "yeah nice, uh huh I'm not listening" smile and nod. Ego slightly bruised I realized that sometimes I'm not that funny, but mostly that it's a little uncommon to get to know the people you wait on as well as we do here.
So Thanksgiving. Yeah. If you happen to be like me and are feeling a little downtrodden, I can almost guarantee you that you're not alone. Those crazy, somewhat lovable people you see on a day to day basis remember you, and want you to be happy! For serious. Go home and watch A Charlie Brown Christmas, make some freakin' cranberry sauce and get to work!! After all, it only happens once a year. And you (maybe) live in Philadelphia, which means if nothing else, at least it's another excuse for a parade. Enjoy.