Thwarted!!!

Damn and blast. This was my second unsuccessful attempt to visit Lloyd's Diner in Framingham. Last Thursday I had a briefing just a couple of miles away, y'see, so I printed out the map and hoped that I could get some lunch there before my meeting.

But I was forced to spend the morning suffering the slings and arrows of outrageous deadlines, so I had to skip lunch entirely to keep my appointment. Which sort of left me with some unfinished business, you understand. As a Man of Destiny, I was obligated to make a special trip back to Framingham on Columbus Day.

Lloyd's is in a fairly isolated location. Even the Middle of Nowhere Diner in Exeter, RI is along the side of a major route. Lloyd's is on a little twisty road off of another little twisty road, and unfortunately the only helpful landmarks along the way are of the "If you pass by a Salvation Army store, you've missed the turnoff" variety. Clearly, Lloyd's gets all the business it needs from the regional school bus depot across the street and there's no need to attract any other sort of clientele.

Nonetheless, I found the place. Specifically, I found that it was closed for Columbus Day.

And even if it weren't Columbus Day, they normally close at 11:30 AM, so I would have gotten there more than an hour too late, anyway.

At least I was out getting some sun. I know that from the photo, you might assume that I was standing out in the pelting rain like an idiot, having driven 40 minutes to reach a place that was steadfastly unwilling to serve me lunch. But no. That's just Photoshop magic. It was warm and wonderful and sunny, and as I was walking back to my car, a passing nobleman stopped his carriage to hand me a small sack containing ten gold sovereigns and a small portrait of his youngest daughter...a good and comely lass who had just reached marrying age and was in need of a suitor.

(Shut up.)