METANOIA

THE DUDE

The Dude is a landmark on High Street. It is a peculiar union of a bar and diner. The joint is divided in two by a narrow wall, making the seating arrangement a giant letter "U." The seats are in the style of a diner, while the lighting, or at least the chandeliers, are more Art Nouveau. The ceiling tiles are all painted individually by artists and, each year, some of the designs change. The food is inconsistent at best, and the draught beers are occasionally watered down. Occasionally, the customers might see mice at the restaurant too. Yet there is something magical about the place.

Hardly anyone leaves The Dude unsatisfied.

It is something about the environment, and the people who work there, that lured the customers. Despite the dubious conditions, everyone Silas had befriended somehow ended up at The Dude. Amongst friends, they had a saying amongst themselves. "It's The Dude; It's gotta be done..."

Silas was sitting by himself waiting for Lisa. The place was emptier than usual; then again, it was sort of late for lunch now. He kept looking at his watch and had a sinking feeling Lisa wasn't going to show up at all. Fifteen minutes later, just as he picked up his phone to text Pete, Anda walked through the door. Silas smiled bitterly; Lisa wasn't coming alone. He greeted Anda, who seemed reluctant to sit down.

Anda said, "Lisa just called me and said she has some sort of car problem, and she needs someone to drive her here, I just wanted to make sure you are still here before I head out to pick her up. I'll be back in less than five minutes."

Silas nodded, He wasn't going to be alone with Lisa, so he decided to call friends of his own so as not to look desperate. "Okay, cool! Pete and Nick are coming in a bit too." That was a lie. "Misha is hanging with a few friends." As soon as she left, Silas texted Pete, 'Come to the Dude A.S.A.P. Lisa is not coming alone.' He felt like he was in high school again. He hated this backdoor, ninja mission shit, and the silent awkwardness.

Pete and Nick arrived shortly after Anda and Lisa. They had spent the day with Nick's family. His parents had lived a fast and exciting life and consequently, they were a self-reliant, hip, older couple with various health related issues. Pete got along with them and didn't really mind being around them in moderation. From his expression, it was obvious he had a good day, and he smiled now more than ever as he talked to Nick. Something had changed. Just being back here had helped them as a couple as well, but it was Silas' conversation that started it all.

Once the pleasantries were over, everyone, other than Silas, ordered the huge breakfast burritos, which were primarily bacon and eggs and beer, though the last item typically wasn't inside the roll.

As their food arrived, Lisa explained the situation involving the car. "I can't believe my roommate took my car without telling me."

Pete nodded to Silas, who brushed it off. They smiled bitterly.

Nick asked, "Your roommate stole your car?"

Lisa said, "She takes it all the time, and it's cool, but she always tells me she has it. Apparently, she forgot to tell me this morning."

Silas said nonchalantly, "No harm done."

Pete was looking around the Dude, mostly at the ceiling tiles, "So, we haven't been here in three years, and it hasn't changed one bit." Then the rest of them started staring at the tiles. To an observer, they sort of looked like baby birds with open mouths waiting to be fed. There ensued a long discussion about which ones had been there, and which ones were new. It was hard because the collective memory is even more treacherous than an individual's.

Nick said, "Man, we fucking missed these breakfast burritos." He turned to the girls, "Have you guys been here often since we left?"

Lisa said, "No, I mean we come here occasionally, but not as much as we used to."