Only East Tennessee

Yesterday, Maggie and I had a little roadtrip to Kyle's Ford and Sneedville, TN. (How's that for a vacation?!?!)

We planned to dine at the River Place Market and Cafe in downtown Kyle's Ford. After we placed our order at the counter and paid, we then took the ticket to the kitchen and placed it in the designated bowl for the orders. We settled in to wait for our lunch on the back deck, complete with comfy chairs and ceiling fans. The table beside us was being used by three men who had decided on the special of the day--steaks, baked potato, salad and butterscotch pie.

When we got to our table the men were gone and the cooks were looking for them. They went ahead and brought out their food and asked me to tell the man that ordered his steak cooked 'well-done' that his was the one on the right. At the same time one of the cooks brought our order, the men came around the corner of the deck and headed to their meal. The lady directed the man to the well-done steak and they settled in. The steaks did smell very delicious. I teasingly told them that we almost took their steaks. We chatted back and forth during our lunch. I could tell that they were enjoying those steaks and a little part of me wished I had ordered the special ($7.95). (BTW-The one who was chatting with me was probably in his 30's and cute as a bug! ) I asked them if the steaks were good and they all agreed that they were delicious. My 'new friend' looked at me and as sincere as he could be, he said, "Would you like to have some of mine? I've got some cut up here that I haven't even touched! You're welcome to have some..." It was as if he and I had been friends forever sitting at my dining room table breaking bread together as we had done many times before. I graciously declined his generous offer. A few minutes later, the older man with the well-done steak, looked over and us said, "Would ya'll like to have my butterscotch pie? It's homemade and delicious. I'm too full and can't eat it." I told him, "No thank you", and suggested that he could put it in his pocket for later in the day.

Maggie and I finished our lunch before our new friends finished. We said our farewells and went to the car for the last leg of our roadtrip. When we got in, started the car and put it in reverse, out of the kitchen came the man who prepared the steaks to help me get out of the parking space because big trucks had parked on both sides of me obstructing my vision as I had to back right onto the main highway. He directed us safely on our way.

As we headed on to Sneedville, I looked over at Maggie and said, "Only in our part of the world would that have happened." She grinned and agreed with me. We both feel blessed to live in these here parts!