AS I SAT IN A BOOTH AT MEL'S DINER ON HIGHLAND...

FACING THE STREET, WATCHING BUMPER TO BUMPER TRAFFIC PASS HOLLYWOOD HIGH, IN THE TOO NARROW FOUR LANE STREET, WHILE EATING MY DELICIOUS SLIDERS AND GOAT CHEESE ON THE HAMBURGER WITH A SPAT OF GREENS, POKING OUT FROM THE SIDES UNDER ITS PERFECT BUN, TURKEY BURGER WITH A SPICY JALEPENO CHEESE, AND LAST BUT FAR FROM LEAST WAS THE TRI-TIP SUNK INTO THE HORSERADISH...THE DAY BEFORE ON AMERICA'S INDEPENDENCE DAY, I HAD ENJOYED AN APPLE-KALE-BEET SALAD WITH SALMON AND AN "ABC" FRESHLY SQUEEZED JUICE DRINK FEATURED ON THEIR BRAND NEW MENU, I HAD LAST EATEN IN MEL'S ON SUNSET ALSO VERY GOOD, WITH REASONABLE PRICING LAST YEAR. WHAT DID STRIKE ME AS UNUSUAL LAST NIGHT, WERE THE FRAMED BLACK AND WHITE BLOW-UP STILLS, DATING BACK TO THE EARLY 40'S OF THE LAST CENTURY. A ROMANTIC TIME INDEED, WHERE WOMEN WORE DRESSES AND HATS AND MEN WORE SUITS AND TIES, AND HATS...THIS WAS NOT SO STRANGE, BUT THERE WAS NOT ONE PERSON OF COLOR IN THE BLOW-UPS AND I WONDERED WHY...THINKING THAT THIS IS THE SOUTH, THOUGH LOCATED IN CALIFORNIA, AND CLOSER TO THE SOUTHERN STATES THAN THE NORTHERN... JUST AT THAT MOMENT A DARK SKINNED BLACK MAN WEARING A WHITE SHIRT AND SLACKS ENTERED CARRYING A STYROFOAM CUP AND I WONDERED FOR AN INSTANT WHETHER OR NOT HE WAS GOING TO BEG, THOUGH I QUICKLY DISMISSED THAT BECAUSE OF HIS ATTIRE. HE APPROACHED THE COUNTER AND THE HOSTESS ASKED IF HE NEEDED HELP, AND HE ASKED FOR "SUGAR PLEASE"...SHE SMILED, AND REACHED FOR A PACKET OF NATURAL BROWN SUGAR AND HANDED IT TO HIM. HE TOOK IT AND SMILED, THANKING HER, AND SPUN AROUND ONCE GRACEFULLY LIKE A DANCER, AND LEFT. AND I THOUGHT THAT HIS APPEARANCE WAS A PRETTY GOOD JUXTAPOSITION TO MY NEGATIVE THOUGHTS ABOUT RACISM IN AMERICA, AND THOUGH IT DID AND DOES EXIST AT TIMES, WE ARE MUCH BETTER OFF NOW THAN WE WERE WAY BACK WHEN. MEL'S IS A FRIENDLY PLACE WITH GOOD FOOD AND HAPPY GOOD LOOKING CUSTOMERS, A RESTAURANT FROM THE OLD DAYS, AND WITH OUR RESURRECTION OF AMERICA, I KNOW WE'LL HAVE MANY GREAT RESTAURANTS WITH GOOD FOOD, LOTS OF ETHNIC FUSION...NOT ONLY HERE, BUT AROUND THE WORLD. YOU WANT CHEAP AND GOOD, HOW ABOUT LESS THAN THREE DOLLARS FOR RICE AND BEANS AT "TACOS EL GAVILAN" AT SUNSET AND LA BREA...PERFECT FOR BREAKFAST, OR AT ANY TIME. EVERY TIME I THINK OF THE OUTSTANDING BURGERS AT "SHAKE SHACK" MY MOUTH WATERS, EVEN THE CRINKLY FRIES ARE GOOD, AND THEY HAVE THEM IN A SMALL SIZE... ONE RESTAURANT THAT I MISS IS "THE HOUSE OF IRAN" THAT WAS LOCATED IN BEVERLY HILLS, AND THE AMBIENCE WAS SO ROMANTIC, PLUS THE KABOBS WERE JUICY, SERVED WITH SAFFRON RICE AND TOMATOES, EVERYTHING FRESH WITH THEIR YOGURT DRINKS WITH MINT AND HERBS, AND THEIR PISTACHIO PASTRY DRENCHED IN HONEY, THE PERFECT PLACE AFTER ANY IMPORTANT EVENT. (C)COPYRIGHTED BY GWEN MITCHELL ON THURSDAY, JULY 6, 2016 AT 1:31PM AT THE WEST HOLLYWOOD LIBRARY, WEST HOLLYWOOD, CA 90069.