“The shop is pretty busy right now. Are you still up for lunch? We can make it another day if we need to.”

“Wouldn’t miss it.” He shouted to the back. “Heading out, guys.”

Dad came toward him, and they walked outside together.

“I can drive,” Andrew said. “Where do you want to eat? Hot dogs at Tucker’s?” They’d been Dad’s favorites for as long as he could remember. Chili and onions, no mustard.

“No. I’ll drive. I know just the spot.”

Andrew climbed into the passenger seat of Dad’s old pickup truck.

Dad cranked the diesel engine and pulled out onto the main road. Old country music flooded the cab of the truck. Andrew was thankful to not have to fill the ride with conversation.

They were clear on the other side of town before Andrew put together where they were headed. “Are we going to Parker’s Farm and Grill for lunch?”

Dad nodded and smiled. “Been a long time since we’ve been there together.”

“It has.” It had been their father-son lunch spot. “I hope they still have that amazing pimento cheese Mrs. Parker used to make.” They’d made lots of good memories over Parker’s home cooking. Parker’s Farm and Grill had served farm-to-table before it was even a thing.

But when they pulled into the parking lot, Andrew didn’t even recognize the place. It used to be in a repurposed tobacco barn, a small one, still carrying the aroma of the drying leaves that it had once stored. But now it had doubled in size, and the parking lot, formerly shell sand, was shiny black asphalt with bright yellow lines marking the parking spaces.

“This place has changed,” Andrew said, and he wasn’t sure he liked it as much. The old place had charm. Now it was like every other chain restaurant.

“Things change over time. Sometimes for the better.”

Sometimes not.

They were seated at a table near a window that overlooked the pastures. At least the Black Angus still meandered through the field, picking at the dwindling green as they made their way to the pond for a drink.

A waitress brought them ice water in mason jars and set two clipboards down on the table. “Today’s menu,” she said. “I’ll give you boys some time to mull it over.”

Dad said, “I’ll have sweet tea to get started.”

“Sure, honey. Anything else to drink for you?” she asked Andrew.

“I’m good with the water, thank you.” He mulled over the menu. Some of the same old home-cooked meals, but there were some new dishes too.

Dad didn’t even open his menu. “Do you know what you’re going to have?”