On Heavy Rotation

Last summer when I was working at the diner, I was on a steady diet of music from the 50s and 60s. The jukebox played oldies, the CD player played oldies, even the radio behind the line played "oldies"--the Grease soundtrack was one of the cooks' favorites.

So when I set out to write my long love letter to the diner and all its bizarre inhabitants--including even these perverts--I knew I needed music to get me into the right mind frame. I tried to set up an appropriate station through Pandora, but it was never quite right. I had to start from scratch. I had to make my own mix-tape. It had to be loaded with all the right songs. It had to be heavy on Frankie Valli, Otis Redding, The Everly Brothers, Elvis, The Crystals. It had to be the kind of music the other waitresses and I swung our hips to in the hot summer months.

I'm sure when my neighbors walk by my door on their way upstairs to their own apartments, they are wondering just why I blare the oldies so, so often. I'm sure they think I'm actually much older than I am.