It’s a Tuesday morning and the diner is loud.

Music is coming from the speakers, but it’s only adding to the noise of the room. There are 15 different conversations happening around me and I cannot eavesdrop on a single one of them. It’s unfortunate because I usually come here to learn where to buy stock or which part of town is going to be developed next or how someone is doing better at life than I am. 

I’m sitting alone at the bar next to a man who is also sitting alone. We are alone together. He walked in with a book, but hasn’t opened it yet. He is lost in his phone. He’s been scrolling for 10 minutes and I can’t blame him. I’m addicted to my phone too. I’ve already looked at mine approximately 1500 times today and it isn’t even 9 AM yet.

I want to lean over and tell the man that there is no good news to be found on his phone and that it’s okay to put his phone down and open his book. Can you imagine if I said that? That would have been weird. So, I only think of saying it and that makes it a little less weird.

Lately, I’ve been trying to be a healthier human and have tried to be better at how much time I spend on my phone. Instead of jotting this down in my Notes app I have my notebook out and am writing quickly to keep up with my thoughts. I’m on my second cup of my coffee so my thoughts are fast and all over the place. My handwriting is chicken scratch at best. I don’t dot my i’s and only seem to write the first three letters of each word before scribbling the rest. My phone is to my left, next to my coffee mug. It’s face down on the counter with a smudge of powdered sugar from the pancake I just ate. And yes, you’re right. I did say that I’ve been trying to be a healthier human, but I’ve yet to learn how to say no to a pancake.

How do you say no to a pancake on a Tuesday morning when you’re at a diner? 

I haven’t learned how to do that yet.

This morning I have witnessed several men in business suits greet each other with the most intense handshake. They lock eyes from across the room and move towards one another with confidence and a full bank account. Each step they take is one of purpose and determination. They both pull back wide their right arm and swing it towards the other with the speed of light and force of Thor. They both let out a little grunt as their hands clash and clasp. They pull each other close and throw their left arm around the other’s back. Each gives the standard pat-pat before they push one another away, but they still are holding hands.

One yells, “Bro!”

The other yells, “Dude!” 

And this is considered a normal greeting among men.  

They both wear a huge smile on their face as they nod their heads like they’re listening to hip-hop.

“Dude, it is so good to see you,” says the one who initially said bro.

“Bro, I am so glad we could get together,” says the one who had originally called the bro a dude. 

The noise of the diner increases every time two men in business suits greet each other. The room is filled with grown men calling each other “dude” and “bro.” The old me would have been annoyed by this, but I’m not. At least I’m not today. It’s hard to be annoyed by the noise of the world when you’ve had a pancake for breakfast.

You know what I mean, dude?

About the Author

Tanner Olson is an author, poet, speaker, and podcaster living in Nashville, Tennessee.

He is the author of I’m All Over the Place, As You Go, Walk A Little Slower, and Continue: Poems and Prayers of Hope.

You can find Tanner Olson’s books on Amazon.

His podcast is The Walk A Little Slower Podcast with Tanner Olson and can be found wherever you listen to podcasts.

Tanner Olson travels around the country sharing poetry, telling stories, and delivering messages of hope.

You can follow Tanner Olson on Instagram (@writtentospeak) and Facebook where you’ll daily find encouraging words of faith and hope.