Description: As a teenager, my friends and I weren't really into clubbing, fake IDs, semi-alcoholic track that half of our regional high school seemed to aspire to. Conversely, we weren't part of the loitering in parking lots, harassing anyone over 30 group either. We were part of a fairly large subgroup of teenagers particular to the wilds of New Jersey known as the Diner Set, kids who diner hop from one to another as each closes for the night, finally congregating in one 24-hour joint, where we passed the night away drinking, smoking, and talking about sex, among other things. Among my group of drag racing, boyfriend-swapping, and '50s-era teens, there were two diners we favored above all others. One was the Medport Diner in Medford New Jersey; the other was Dynasty.
I can still remember sitting in the back booths in the smoking section after school, looking over our shoulders for teachers or administrators as our friends smoked cigarettes and joints, and we tried to fix up one of the less-attractive members of our fringe group with a slutty girl who hung on the fringes of our work-related group who'd slept with my boyfriend a month prior. We had a plate of mozzarella sticks and a single cup of coffee between the five of us: myself, Nanette, Doug, and the couple we were trying to fix up. In most places, this sort of act--ordering one item for multiple people just so teens have a place to stay after-hours--would be quickly recognized and we'd be thrown out on our asses, but not here. Hell, one waitress even got into the conversation, trying to convince this girl to "slum" to the prom with our nice but unfortunately enabled friend.
And that waitress is still there today, 6 years later, still sitting in on teenager's conversations, still minding the smoking section with a telltale cough well into the morning.
The menu is fairly diverse for a tiny roadside eatery. On any given day, you can order fried shrimp, a hamburger, lasagna, or any other American-style comfort food, plus a choice of New Jersey-style "health food," tuna salad stuffed in a tomato or a veggie burger dripping with white American cheese, and soft drink refills are always free.
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