Back when we'd stop for pie at the diner after a muddy day

I mean, idk, maybe it's just me, but I think about this a lot. When I first ran a dredge upstate, the crew would head to this little diner near the site. The owner knew our names and always had pie ready. We'd chat with the regulars, some of them farmers who'd ask about the river levels. Now, with tight deadlines and prepackaged meals, we just eat in the truck. Those connections felt good, like we were part of something bigger. Last year, I drove through that town and the diner was gone, replaced by a chain store. It hit me how much has changed.