Christmas Morning at The Waffle house
By Michael S. Rosenwald “Here comes Leonard,” Mike Sykes said. Sykes is on the grill at a Waffle House in Frederick. Leonard Howard is a regular. Howard walks in, shivering. Christmas is one of the year's big days at Waffle Houses across the nation, as at IHOP and other places that offer respite from yet another big family meal at home. Sykes: “Scrambled or over easy, Leonard?” Howard: “Scrambled.” He takes his seat at a back corner table. His spot. Less than two minutes later, in front of him: scrambled eggs, hash browns, toast, and two sausage patties. Coffee, of course. Howard is 83 years old, but he doesn’t look it. “My wife died two years ago,” he said. “This is my family here.” Sykes: “Santa good to you this morning, Leonard?” Howard: “I’m too old for that stuff now.” Outside, in the parking lot, Daryl Hatten was waiting for his ex-wife to bring his teenage son to breakfast, as she had apparently promised. Hatten, hungry when he showed up an hour ago, ate wit...