I had breakfast at First Watch this morning. It is a breakfast franchise named after the first shift in the nautical world. It’s squeaky clean, furnished sparsely with a cup and a water-glass positioned on every table to send a message of, ” Sit down, we’ve been waiting for you.” 

I ordered 2 poached eggs, an english muffin and a grilled ham slice. The eggs were perfectly poached, the english muffin nicely buttered and the ham slice predictably thick and rubbery. I had the paper, it was a sunny morning and without anything else scheduled — I had a fine time. 

I was idly eavesdropping on nearby conversations when I looked at the bottom of the check and saw, “One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well.” (Virginia Woolf)

Oh my goodness, I thought. Woolf, as you may well know, is an all-star literary muse, an English writer and feminist born in 1882 who had an Extraordinary impact on fiction before she committed suicide at age 41.

I pictured Virginia sitting opposite me, grabbing the check , saying that she’d pick it up, then looking down and seeing her quote.  

“What the f—?”

“Yeah, ” I shrug — “Wait til you hear about the Kindle.”