Eggs & Sausage

"Eggs & Sausage" - Eier und Wuerstchen.

Sometimes I go to Stephy's Kitchen, to me, the ultimate American experience, where you sit at the bar, the coffee is thinner than thin, the waitresses have that sparkly nail polish and address you with Hon', the buzz boy (women) has that chain-smoker's raspy voice, the chef wears a baseball cap... and the cheese omelets are out of this world!

Every time I hear it, Tom Waits' song "Eggs & Sausage" reminds me of this piece of Americana:

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Nighthawks at the diner
of Emma's 49er, there's a rendezvous
of strangers around the coffee urn tonight
all the gypsy hacks, the insomniacs
now the paper's been read
now the waitress said

Eggs and sausage and a side of toast
coffee and a roll, hash browns over easy
chile in a bowl with burgers and fries
what kind of pie?

In a graveyard charade, a late shift masquerade
2 for a quarter, dime for a dance
with Woolworth rhinestone diamond
earrings, and a sideway's glance
and now the register rings
and now the waitress sings

(chorus)

The classified section offered no direction
it's a cold caffeine in a nicotine cloud
now the touch of your fingers
lingers burning in my memory
I've been 86ed from your scheme
I'm in a melodramatic nocturnal scene
I'm a refugee from a disconcerted affair
as the lead pipe morning falls
and the waitress calls

(chorus)

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I haven't figured out what he means by "2 for a quarter, dime for a dance" and "the lead pipe morning falls", but nevertheless, I love this song and my occasional lonely breakfast at Stephy's.