McDONALD'S IN THE MORNING

Is there any better way to begin a road trip than an early morning stop at McDonald's? I love pulling off the freeway just as the golden sun is cresting the hills and bringing the van to a stop beneath the arches. Outside of the van, the smell emanating from the fryers, pulled up through the exhaust hoods and vented out across the parking lot, harmonizes with the hum of the nearby freeway and the bright-eyed smiles on the kids' faces to form an irresistable siren song that beckons us in through the double doors.

If you've never been to a McDonald's early in the morning you could be forgiven for not knowing that it's a different breed of individual that you will find there than the slightly depressing lot who come around later in the day. These are not the lazy, foul-mannered, makers-of-bad-decisions that you may have encountered before at McDonald's. The people of the dawning day are a different crowd altogether. Early risers, working people, and the industrious fortify themselves with Egg McMuffins and coffee before heading out into another day. They are people of purpose. For such as these, a stop at McDonald's is the calm before the storm. They eat in a respectful, reverential silence before squaring their shoulders and heading out the door and into the breach. Retired couples who have buillt a McDonald's breakfast into their daily routine are also a frequent fixture. They sit across from each other talking quietly or sitting in an easy familiar silence. I find it all very pleasant.