My McDonald's

                I always know that I am home, when the N (elevated) train is pulling into the last and final stop on Ditmars Blvd and you see the Golden Arches of McDonald’s.  When the train stops and those doors open, then begins the  rush of people getting off the train and then running down the two flights of stairs, periodically moving to the side for pedestrians making their way up the stairs to board train.  When you get to the bottom of the stairs, you are faced with floor to ceiling glass doors with gold m’s running across the middle.  I pull the heavy glass door open for me and the eight people who followed me in, I walk down the aisle.  The aisle is surrounded entirely by tables; to my left is a group of elderly gentlemen sitting together enjoying nice friendly chatter, coffee and little apple pies.  I continue to walk and I begin to hear the sound of children laughing in the distance, I get to the end of the aisle where the cashier is.  I order the number two, which consists of two cheese burgers, fries, and a diet coke.  They ask me if I would like my order to be supersized, I say no.  As I am waiting I begin to see little children coming into the restaurant with birthday presents.  As I am following them with my eyes I realize the stairs to the basement are roped off with pink balloons and the distant laughter I heard was coming from a little girl’s birthday in the party room downstairs.  The cashier tells me that my order is up.  I take my brown paper bag with big red McDonald’s logos on it, and my empty soda cup.  I walk to the right hand side of the restaurant; this is where they keep their soda dispensers.  I fill up my soda, dump out the extra fuzz, fasten the lid and I continue down the aisle push the big glass heavy door open and I head home.