Lakeside Diner Displays Special Table

The Lakeside Diner, located at 429 West Lacey Road in Forked River, has become a quick stop for me for either a hearty breakfast or delicious lunch. However, I do confess that I have taken out from there for a dinner when I didn't feel like cooking. Never leaving disappointed, their three egg omelettes or French toast dishes are made with a loving precision that usually could only be found at home. Their dinner specials, whether early bird, senior or regular, all come with plenty to eat, so you won't be leaving the table hungry.

However, the first thing you see when entering the premises, but before reaching the actual restaurant, is "The Missing Man Table." Accompanying the table is a plaque that reads "Those who have served...and those currently serving in the Armed Forces of the United States...are ever mindful that the sweetness of enduring peace...has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice. We are compelled to never forget that while we enjoy our daily pleasures...there are others who have endured...and may still be enduring...the agonies of pain, deprivation and internment."

"We call your attention to this small table...which occupies the place of dignity and honor. Symbolizing the fact that members of our Armed Forces...are missing from our ranks. We call them POWs and MIAs. We call them Comrades."

"This table, set for one, is small...symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner...alone against his or her suppressors. The table cloth is white...symbolic of the purity of their intentions to respond to their Country's call to arms. The single red rose in the vase...signifies the blood they have shed...to ensure the freedom of our beloved."

The plaque continues on about the faith and hope that the families have in regards to the return one day of their loved ones. Our faith is also represented by the Bible on that table, especially as we grieve for those we lost. You should really stop by and read the whole statement. It is a very beautiful sentiment. Upon speaking to the manager-on-duty, I was informed that the owner is an ex-Navy man. Let us continue to pray for our soldiers, both for their well-being and their safe return home.