Lonesome Town

The following text by LoJardinier came to me via email the day after I posted this picture. I think it's perfect.

The glass door of the lunchonette stood wide open that August morning. Dorothy settled into her favourite bench with a sigh she could never suppress.  She placed her book on the table, and took off her glasses.
 - Coffee? Jay was cutting rolls behind the counter.
 - I don't want to live forever, I might as well poison myself with something.
 - That's a new one.
 - I been working on it.
There were two quiet men at the counter, and near the door a young blonde woman bent over a phone.
 - But where are you? I can't hear you!
The coffee arrived.  She told Jay:
 - It's so good, you know I don't have any arrangement today, no-one to see, nowhere to be.
 - Ah, OK. Except here. Jay raised his eyes to her face.
 - Except here.
Jay went back to cutting rolls. A song was playing that she recognised.  A party - someone's apartment - was Ted there that day? Or was it before Ted? Not after, that was for sure.  A long long time since she heard that song.
 - Can you hear me? Look, I'll text you, OK? Just pick them up from Mom's. Mom! Midday!
Dorothy closed her eyes.  She was riding in a car, Ted driving. Where were they going? It didn't matter.
 - Rosie? Look, I'm the other side the bridge, phone keeps cutting out.  Can you just get him and tell him to pick the kids up.  Mom's. Midday. Yeah, he'll forget. Yeah, right.
The song and the coffee were over.  Dorothy got up slowly, and before she knew it she had touched the young woman on the shoulder.
 - It'll all be OK.
 - What?
 - It'll all be all right, in the end.
 - Just when's the end, that's what I want to know.
 - You'll be OK sweetheart, you'll see. Bye, Jay.
Dorothy felt the young woman's eyes on her back as she stepped carefully out to the bright street.


The original text identified the place as St. Johns, and it included some kvetching about the lens, which explains some of the comments. But this is the title and the text that best fits the picture. Thanks for the comments. Any comments about the text should go directly to the author, LoJardinier.