free coffee refills

I love diners. I have lots of memories of diners, but I don’t think that’s why I love them. No it’s not anything as romantic as that. Oh sure my grandparents took me to the local diner and bought me cheese burgers and ice cream and all that. I remember the world war II vets smoking and drinking coffee. None of that seems to resonate when I sit in rankin or pete’s however. I don’t feel nostalgic. I don’t find myself in a postcard lapping up grits or dumping ketchup onto my plate. No no. I love diners for the free coffee refills. Free coffee refills in an actual coffee cup. In 2009 there are fewer and fewer of our cliche little gen-x coffee houses that will give you a refill of a damn cup of coffee for free. I gave you two dollars, you gave me a paper cup with some muddy black organic, fair trade, freedom of speech, barely drinkable swill and I have to give you another dollar if I need a bit more on my way out. Oh well this isn’t about how I hate those places, it’s about how I love diners. I love greasy meat. I love beans and cornbread. I love old women waitresses. I love watching WWII vets read the paper. Most of all I love setting my cup on the table and watching it magically fill back to the brim.