down at the old choke and puke

I watched them clean the grease traps and I knew, like you know a good melon. I took a last swig of burnt coffee from a thick diner mug and motioned to the waitress to bring me the check please and the price of everything has gone up. Reached into the ever shrinking wallet and pulled out a few bills plus tip, left them on the counter under that mug. I looked around the room as I turned towards the door. In the booth by the door, a man younger than myself sat alone holding a note in his left hand. And I knew what I had to do.