Grandson Nathaniel had the morning free the day after his mother went back to New Jersey and John and David went to the train club in Tennessee. I figured he and I should have a treat, too. He loves wandering through antique shops and thrift stores. I wanted to share with him a consignment shop that former neighbor Amy took me to. It’s the most elegant of the second-hand stores I’ve seen. Nathaniel posed with a hat he found, though it was too small for his head. The section in view was about a tenth of the whole warehouse.

After checking out restaurants on line, Nathaniel chose Sweet Onion, just off Main Street in Waynesville. He opted for the chicken Parmesan sandwich, and I chose a fried chicken sandwich with blackberry barbecue sauce. Our sides were macaroni and cheese and broccoli casserole. There was no table that had a complete view of the open kitchen, but he could see a little of the action. Two years of culinary training have sharpened his observations about food service. He is a delightful dining companion, said with no prejudice at all from his gran.

Nathaniel was watching the time carefully, because he was to start work at 3. He suggested there would be time for a cursory view of an antique shop we had been wanting to see named Chateau Debris. Both of us loved the name. Although it is barely visible in the photo, the name is above the doorway. He was dressed for work as a prep person and line cook.

Nathaniel can absorb displays in an amazingly short time. He zooms in on something he wants to see, then moves right along. The rooms in that house were tiny and chock full of over-priced junk. Only two people could move in a room if they synchronized their steps in the same direction. I sidled through places where Nate micro-navigated his size 15 feet. Items were not displayed, but thrown on top of each other. I was happy to get out alive, content that our house does not resemble that chateau. We still have discernible walkways.