Chapter 5 - "Gibbon's Secrets - Introduction of The Gibbon Diner - 1940

The Gibbon Diner was introduced to the story in Chapter Five.  It was like it was always there and no one seemed to dwell on when or where it was built,  This introduction was very subtle,  like the diner was just there - a place to go for coffee and food.  I had really intended the Diner to be somewhere along Highway 30, therefore I had imagined the Gibbon Diner to be a place that Lorraine could work, (this was a way to get my Granddaughter Lorraine into the story). 

 When I went to the class reunion in (2009), there was quite a discussion regarding where the diner really was located, some said back of Pop's Station while others said, no it was the other side of the tracks.  I had thought it to be more convenient to be along Highway 30 toward the middle of town, and so that's where I pictured it to be in the story.  This Diner was just created out of my imagination to make a place available for Lorraine to work. In my creation of the Diner it was near Pop,s Standard Station; owned by Bob Smith, having two waitresses one being Lorraine O'Hara and Rose Ryan. Unknown to me years after I had left Gibbon, a diner was actually build next to Pop's Standard Station on Highway 30, similar to where I located it in my dream.  


The introduction of the dinner in Chapter 5 in the 40's started like this:


     Reg had left the house very early in the morning and had stopped at the Gibbon Diner.  On the way to the diner he noticed the heavy early morning for, and as he stepped out of his truck heading for the diner he could feel the humidity in the air.  This Spring had been mixed with both a bit of hot weather, and cool early-morning for.  He opened the door to the diner and stepped quickly inside, to conserve the coolness created by the fans.

     Lorraine O'Hara, one of the waitresses at the diner, greet him, "Hi Reg, how is everything going for you>" "Great, Lorraine!  Seeing your big smile make it that much better."  The smile was so typical of Lorraine.  The smile was so typical of Lorraine.  There were an abundance of laugh lines shimmering around the corners of her mouth, easily producing huge welcoming smiles.

     Lorraine brought him a cup of coffee, even before he had asked for it.  "Would you like a roll to go with your coffee, Reg?"  "I'll pass on the roll Lorraine, but please bring me a couple of pancakes with an egg over easy."  He felt the brown liquid warming his insides, knowing that it would give him a jump-start for the day.

     Jack Shaunesey, a rather dapper man in uniform, with pleasant light-blue eyes, came in the dine and Lorraine quickly went down the counter to wait on him.  Reg had known Jack for a least a year now, and they always spoke to each other here at the diner.  "Hi Jack, how are you this morning?"   I'm doing fine Reg, but these fogs we have been having sure make driving dangerous.

     "It sure does Jack, but Lorraine's great smiles, along with a nice cup of coffee, gives us a brighter stat to the day."  Lorraine blushed as she headed down the counter to wait on Jack.  She was glad to see Jack again, but hoped she didn't appear too eager to see him again when she asked, "Would you like a cup of coffee Jack?"  "Yes I would, and please bring me one of your fresh homemade cinnamon rolls."  Jack give Lorraine a big smile.  He had felt attracted to her for some time, and was trying to work up the courage to ask her for a date.

Example of Gibbon Diner