We entered Cushing, Oklahoma and saw a sign advertising restaurants in the Broadway District. I chose to follow the sign in the hope of finding an appealing selection of restaurants. We stopped at a four-way intersection controlled by an official stop sign in the center of the intersection, opposed being posted on the side of the street. The stop sign was in a large planter and looked to be removable. The streets are wide with angled parking on both sides of the street. The vacant parking spots make the streets appear very wide. I imagine there is plenty of space for block parties, parades and events of sorts.
I spotted a directional sign to the Back Room Cafe. Back Room? This might be interesting. I followed the direction of the sign, and my eyes scanned for the Back Room. We found it at the end of the Copper Penny Trading Company. A large brick three-story building. The cafe sign was small, and there were large flower decals on the glass door. Brad and I briefly exchanged looks, wondering if this was a tea cafe or some boutique cafe with scones? We opened the door. It opened to the kitchen. We were surprised to peer into a busy kitchen. Should we walk away? We heard a voice call out, “Come on in!” We did. We walked through the kitchen and took seats at the counter. The stools at the counter overlooked the activity of the kitchen. A friendly woman with a hairstyle that resembled a beehive welcomed us.
Brad and I sip on our iced teas as we watch the activity in front of us. The cooks appear to be a family: mom, dad, and teen daughter. As our conversation with the cooks continued, we learned they were not a family, simply coworkers. The woman asks us what brings us to Cushing. Without hesitation, Brad declares we are here for vacation. He continues talking about our motorcycle ride to nowhere. He talks about some of the locations we’ve experienced in years past. We are told no one comes to Cushing for vacation; it isn’t a vacation destination. The woman who appears to be in command of the kitchen staff talks about the town and how it has changed over the years. Somehow, the conversation turned to culture changes. Years ago, the military experienced a president that declared the don’t ask, don’t tell rule. Society was changing. Then the woman with the attractive beehive hairstyle asked Brad and me how long we’ve been together. Brad immediately answers about 20 years. He continues telling the story that we started riding together when we both lived in California. The woman emphasizes, “California, huh?” I get the feeling there is something lost in translation. I let them know we are married but not to each other. We got some chuckles out of that one. Brad and I are motorcycle riding partners. Partners takes on a whole new meaning in today’s society. The misunderstanding might be because of that faded T-shirt Brad was wearing. It looks pink!
Our experience at the Back Room Cafe was the highlight of our day. The food was delicious. The conversation with the staff carried on during our whole meal. The cafe filled up with diners seeking the daily special.
We walked from the cafe inside the building to the other shops. A variety of goods were for sale. We discovered that we had entered through the back door. The back door to the Back Room Cafe! The building was restored with creaky hardwood floors. A neat place to visit. Another exciting experience at a small business cafe!
Read more at
nowhereride dot blogspot dot com
Title: Back Room Cafe
