The Crosby Chronicles: Breakfast at Marston’s

I did something I’ve never done before in my whole life. No, not dye my hair.

Last week my youngest son took a class at the Armory Center for the Arts in Pasadena. Since the class was an hour and a half long for five consecutive days, I indulged myself by eating every morning at my favorite breakfast place in Pasadena, Marston’s.

In business since 1987, Marston’s, located in an actual house on Walnut, offers tasty recipes such as French Toast encrusted in corn flakes and macadamia nut pancakes.

Each day I ate a different selection, except for the oatmeal which I had twice since it’s my favorite.

Have you ever eaten in a sit-down restaurant alone? I have many times and I don’t mind it.

When you eat alone, it allows you to eavesdrop on other people’s conversations.

The most interesting person was a former Coca-Cola executive. What caught my attention weren’t the stories this man was telling, but that his breakfast partner hardly said a word for half an hour. Ever wonder what prevents people from not recognizing that they are chatty and are monopolizing the conversation?

Brian Crosby is a teacher at Hoover High School and the author of Smart Kids, Bad Schools and The $100,000 Teacher. He can be reached at brian-crosby.com.