Remembering Coffee… and More!!

Lots of memories come to mind when I pass this McDonald’s restaurant - a short walk from our home.

So many personal events associated with this place!

My older son was among the first crew to work here when the structure was first built. He was a high school student at the time. He had a part time job at another McDonald’s near his school, but when this one was about to open, he transferred here. In fact, he became part of the construction clean up crew that prepared the place to open.

Another memory: a few years later, this same son had a Russian coworker here - Roman. One day at break Roman mentioned that he and his girlfriend were planning a short vacation to Russia.

When my son expressed enthusiasm for travel, Roman invited him to come along. 

Without Roman’s invitation, he may never have had that unforgettable experience, the year he turned 21.

A third memory relates to my son’s years as a student at the college near the restaurant, when he was dividing his time between studies and earning money. One day he mentioned with a smile that he had served one of his professors. The instructor had told him that if he spent as much time on his schoolwork as he did at McDonald’s, he would be a stellar student.

(What could I say? We both knew that the only reason he had enrolled in college was to appease me: I had burst into tears after hearing that he didn’t want to continue his education after high school - he just wanted to get a job…)

But… all this is past history! 

I now have my own McDonald’s memory…

Whenever I pass this particular restaurant, my mind now goes back a few weeks to our recent storm and power outage. Those four days that we were without electricity, I left the house in the early dawn to come here for my morning coffee …and breakfast egg McMuffin. I wanted to beat the crowd. This restaurant was my haven. 

Not only that - the restaurant has a quiet study room where I could plug in my cell phone, check emails and surf the net. I didn’t rush home. Every evening I returned for my evening meal - and to recharge my phone for the night.

Terry, too, would head over several times a day with his computer to surf the net, watch the news, and get caught up with sports scores.

So thanks - Baseline Road McDonald’s - for your food, your internet, and for all the memories!