Changed but the same

I think in almost each entry I write when I'm in LA, I remark on how odd it is to be back. And, it is. Especially, when driving along the streets where I grew up on, the things that were once familiar are no longer there. The McDonald's where Natalie and I would stop on our walks home from middle school to order ice cream cones is now a Chinese restaurant. The Del Taco where we went for a snack after a trip to the library is now a Vietnamese sandwich shop. The corner store where I would sneak off to for an occasional sugary treat is now a bank. And, all this change seems to be happening right now and it seems to be happening at a rate far greater than I had ever noticed before.

One place that still stands where it did when I first went there at least a dozen years ago is Jim's Famous Burgers. My friends and I would go there after school to order humongous bags of French fries, chili cheese fries, and my favorite, fried zucchini. And, even after more than a decade since my first visit, I still go there whenever I'm in town.

But, this time, when Karen, Jeanne, and I went there for an afternoon snack, I was surprised by how much it had changed. The most remarkable difference about the place was its appearance. The parking exit and entrance had switched sides, so that now the drive-thru window was properly positioned so that the driver could pick up his order out of his window and not have to lean across the passenger seat; this change made sense. What didn't make sense to me was why the owners decided to strip the place of all its charm and turn it into a building that looked like all the other restaurants that flanked the street.

Jim's was an old-fashioned-looking diner with outdoor patio seating, with a walk-up order counter as the barrier between the outside and the inside and an arcade area. The outdoor seating , which made up most of the restaurant space, was the most charming aspect of the restaurant, aside from the friendly workers who on several occasions have called me "Smiley." The outdoor eating area was composed of round tables with orange plastic umbrellas as the only shield from the sun and the rain, and they were the perfect hangout spot for young teenagers.

But, when we pulled into the parking lot, most the outdoor seating was gone. In its place was a wall with a door that led inside. I was confused. This looked like any other restaurant. Where was the eccentricity, the charm?

Even though the outer appearance changed, the menu remained the same. We ordered a club sandwich, chili cheese fries, and fried zucchini. And, our food was served to us by the same friendly staff. The food was nothing fancy, just simple diner food with no pretension about it. And, though it was strange to be sitting inside in a proper seat, it was still nice to know that somethings don't change.