Before the first cup.

The stools are empty, but the lamp over the counter is already on. Through the window, the wet street and the inside of the diner share the same glass.

There are mugs waiting beside the coffee pot. In a little while, someone will hang a jacket over a stool and order the usual. For now, you can hear your shoes on the damp sidewalk.

You slow down at the window. No one has claimed a seat yet.