What Gas Station Workers On I-80 Really Think About Davenport

In a community, you would hope that everyone that lives in it speaks well about the place they call home. Whether you're born and raised in the community or not, those who live, work and represent that place should speak relatively highly about it.

Not in Davenport or really in most cities in the Quad Cities. For some reason, 99.999% of everyone bitches and moans about the town they live and work in. Why? Who knows. I can't even blame it on winter depression. Apparently complaining and getting drunk are the two hobbies we all have. Maybe it's because of people like me calling everyone cry babies and drunks that puts people in a bad mood. Most likely.

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Either way, there are folks who see many people from all over the country pass through Davenport and the Quad Cities on the interstates and highways that cut through our area. Those people are gas station attendants and clerks.

Trying to go to Denny's

What do parents without a baby do on a Saturday night for fun? Try to go to Denny's for some weird reason. We could be getting drunk at a bar, but a quiet and quick meal at a chain diner restaurant without a baby throwing a water cup on the ground every 5 seconds sounded better. Plus, it was past midnight and we didn't want to go to sleep yet (for some reason we didn't think about catching up on sleep).

Instead of looking at Denny's hours on Google, my lovely wife and I decided to risk it to get the biscuit and just drive to the location on I-80. When we got there, we found out from the workers at a nearby gas station (the one attached to it) that it closed at 10 p.m.

Nothing good happens after midnight. Nothing happens after 10 p.m.

Before I continue, I will say the two workers that were there were super polite. I just wish the answer they both gave would give me hope that they think good things about Davenport and the Quad Cities as a whole.

After we were informed of Denny's closing at 10 p.m., I pretended to play a person from out of town. I said to the two,

"Hey, we're from out of town and just staying the weekend. Is there anything to do later at night in Davenport or the Quad Cities?"

Almost in unison, the two workers answered,

"Nothing happens after 10 p.m. here. Davenport and most of the Quad Cities closes down at like ten."

Playing the part, I mentioned how lame that was and they agreed.

Hopefully, they are just saying that because it's winter and there really isn't much to do right now. Maybe they were sick of people like me asking dumb questions at night instead of looking it up on the internet (one of my biggest pet peeves by the way).

Regardless, it's a good reminder to everyone that while it's easy to complain (especially in the winter) about the town we live and work in here in the Quad Cities, maybe it's time to put a smile on our face and look at the good things happening in our communities.