Breakfast That Brought a Smile

July 2008

It’s a hot Tuesday morning and I’m in Tucson, Arizona (AZ). First time in Arizona.

I’m attending a conference in Phoenix, AZ., but since I’ve never been to Arizona, I flew into Tucson because I wanted to check out Saguaro National Park and the University of Arizona. I rented a car so that I could see what there was to see in Tucson and then 30 hours later, I would be on the road to Phoenix.

After arriving and getting settled in Tucson after my 6 A.M. flight from Las Vegas, I decided to have breakfast in a café that was located in this cool and character laden hotel, The Hotel Congress in which I should have stayed (the café had a chandelier made out of wine glasses) that I previously read about in National Geographic Traveler magazine.


So, I’m in this café, perusing the menu and digging the myriad options for breakfast. I make my breakfast selection and then I commence writing in my journal. I looked at some maps of Tucson to plan out my day and then I read some magazines. I was on the road, in a new place, and I looked forward to what the day had in store. As I was writing, reading, and doing my thing, I looked up to check out the scene and the patrons before me. As I scanned the café, I saw an older woman (70ish) and a woman (40ish) who I presumed to be her daughter dining together a couple tables directly in front of me and quite a few other patrons. For a Tuesday morning, the café had a buzz to it. I continued with what I was doing and my food arrived; it looked and tasted great. As I was devouring my food, the 40ish aged woman approached my table. She sheepishly began by saying, “I’m sorry to bother you while you are eating, but the woman that I’m sitting with, my mother, thinks you’re hot and she wanted me to tell you. Again, I’m sorry to bother you.” I looked over at “mom” and she was smiling and making eyes at me. I so wanted to bust out laughing, but I didn’t. I didn’t want to embarrass or make anyone feel bad. I looked at “mom” and waved in her direction. I thanked her daughter for sharing the compliment with me and I told her that I was flattered. I was thinking to myself, “Hey, is this some kind of joke? Is there a tv camera planted somewhere in the restaurant?” I resumed eating and reading. Shortly thereafter, mom and daughter got up to leave the café and as they were, the mother shouted across the café at me and said in a pretty fired up tone, “You are the best looking man I have seen in Tucson, you are hot! There needs to be more good looking guys in this city.” The woman’s daughter seemed a little amused by her mother’s spunk and antics, but she also appeared embarrassed as she tried to shoo her mom out the door. I smiled and again said, “Thank you.” As soon as they left I busted out laughing! I hadn’t been in Tucson two hours and a 70ish old woman was trying to pick me up! I had heard that Tucson was different, but man?! What a start to my visit?! I wondered what the rest of my visit had in store for me?