Make that 4,500 miles in my case. And bearing in mind that the text says "thing," not "person," I'd have to say the thing I miss most right now is Denny's. Yes, Denny's...but really, any anonymous 24-hour diner will do. Bonus points if it's in a strip mall parking lot.
What I miss about Denny's is that it's an anonymous haven where I used to be able to go to get a temporary change of scenery and collect my thoughts. I would go to study, to be around people without having to interact, and heck, sometimes I even liked whatever soup was on offer that day. But there's nothing like it here in Scotland. There are pubs, but I wouldn't go to one alone now that I'm married (isn't that weird? In my old life, I used to have no problem wandering into a bar alone), and the all-night diner landscape is pretty bleak here. Other than the hospitals, the only other 24-hour establishment I know of is a big grocery store and that's just not the same. Aimlessly wandering the aisles of the supermarket at midnight just because I need a bit of mental space is rather depressing, whereas at a 24-hour diner, mental space is exactly what's on the menu - it's right next to the chicken fried steak, and they never run out!
I'm planning on going home for a visit in November, and until then I will do my best to bring Denny's to me somehow or another. No, I'm not going to open up a Scottish Denny's franchise (though if you do, please drop me a line with the address), but I'm just going to do my best to find little thinking spaces wherever I can. Because every stepmom needs a bit of room to sort out her thoughts from time to time. And if these thinking spaces come with bottomless coffee, all the better.
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