Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Relaxing Lunch at a 1930s Automat

Starting point is 00:00:00 Get Sleepy is a production of Slumber Studios and is made possible thanks to the generous support of our sponsors and premium members. If you'd like to listen ad-free and access weekly bonus episodes, extra long stories and our entire back catalogue, you can try out premium free for 7 days by following the link in the episode notes. Now, a quick word from our sponsors. Hey friends, welcome to Get Sleepy, where we listen, we relax, and we get sleepy. My name's Tom, and it's my pleasure to be your host. Tonight's story will be read by Heather and was written by Alicia Stephan. We're going on a fascinating journey through time. Traveling back to the late 1930s,

Starting point is 00:01:10 Travelling back to the late 1930s will accompany a young woman named Ruby as she takes a delicious lunch break at a place called The Automat. You may think that fast food is a modern invention and certainly in its current form it's quite different from its precursor. But after joining Ruby at one of her favourite eateries, you might agree that the hallowed Automat may have had all the best features of automation and self-service without any of the drawbacks. First though, I want to mention Get Sleepy Premium. Tomorrow night we have our weekly Thursday bonus episode over on the Premium Feed. I'll be telling the story of a lady taking a break from her busy schedule to enjoy an afternoon at the spa where she'll discover the power of stillness and relaxation. In addition to our weekly premium exclusives, our supporters receive full access to the

Starting point is 00:02:19 entire Get Sleepy catalogue which stands at over 700 episodes and counting. And better still, everything is completely ad-free, giving you an ultra relaxing, undisrupted listening experience. You can sign up to a monthly or yearly payment plan with the first 7 days coming completely free of charge so you can make sure you're happy. Learn more about Get Sleepy Premium and support the ongoing production of the show by going to getsleepy.com slash support or simply follow the link in the show notes. Thanks so much my friends. Now, before we hear tonight's story, let's take some time to focus on calming both the body and mind.

Starting point is 00:03:32 So make sure you're as cozy and comfortable as can be, adjusting in any way you need to find that perfect spot. And then, begin to imagine that the built up strength and vitality that's been coursing through you all day is represented by a soft red light. quieten down so that we can get a good night's rest. Notice your breath and begin to deepen it. Make each inhale just that much deeper and fuller than the last. With each exhale, imagine that red light gradually dimming a little bit more. Breathe in deeply and breathe out, watching the light dim bit by bit. Try to make the next breath the largest you've taken all day.

Starting point is 00:05:17 And with the exhale, imagine the light going out completely, leaving your body still, calm and ready. Not only does the dimming of the light relax your muscles and ease away tension, but it's also the moment for your mind to switch off. With each calming breath, allow any thoughts of the day to grow quiet. As your breathing returns to its natural flow, begin to imagine a rainy day in a long ago city. Ruby has stepped out for her cherished lunch hour, leaving her office job behind for a little personal time. We're going to join her as she

Starting point is 00:06:31 braves the rain heading towards a very relaxing lunch in a cozy and familiar place. This is where our story begins. Ruby moved quickly down the sidewalk, dodging people to her left and right and holding her umbrella up high. The rain had been coming down steadily all day, and she was in no mood to linger. Each person making their way through the city streets had their head down and their focus on reaching their destination as soon as possible. On a prettier spring day, she often found herself enjoying the beautiful buildings of the city, or stopping to breathe in the brisk air while passing the time on a park bench. But not today.

Starting point is 00:08:16 Everyone was interested in getting to the next dry location as quickly and efficiently as they could. April showers bring May flowers, Ruby thought to herself with wry amusement. Every inch of town within walking distance was paved, so she reflected that this downpour wasn't of much use to her in that respect. As a fine mist found its way past her umbrella, she could almost feel her hairstyle wilting. Such a shame, as she spent a good deal of time that morning, trying to emulate the massive curls Ginger Rogers was wearing. By the time she'd got to lunch, she'd have a straight pageboy bob instead. Just her luck, she thought, sighing inwardly.

Starting point is 00:09:34 At least she hadn't worn her best shoes. She looked down at the practical lace-up oxfords on her feet as she dodged puddles on the sidewalk. Even as she moved swiftly forward, she enjoyed seeing the reflections of the cars in the puddles. With the skies so gloomy, the neon lights of the city seemed unusually brilliant. Each small lake reflected a runny mix of glowing lights in different colors. She was dimly aware of being surrounded by the shushing noise of traffic going through the rainwater, and the occasional murmur of people talking as they rushed by.

Starting point is 00:10:45 But lost in her own thoughts, she felt almost like she was floating above the sidewalk. It took her mind off of the damp and the chill. Most of all, she was really looking forward to reaching the automat and warming up over something delicious for lunch. and warming up over something delicious for lunch. And finally, she arrived. There it stood before her with its worn two-story Art Deco facade. Automat was displayed over the door, embedded in mosaic. In the center, at street level, there was a large window offering a glimpse of the dining

Starting point is 00:11:38 mecca within. On either side of that window were gold-framed glass revolving doors. They were constantly moving as people were briskly entering and leaving. In case anyone was in doubt, on the far left and right sides of the entryway, vertical neon signs also said, Auto-Met, inviting the public inside. With an anticipatory thrill, Ruby pushed her way through the revolving door and entered one of her favorite places. With its tall ceilings and shiny lacquered tables,

Starting point is 00:12:38 the Auto-mat was like a grand hall dedicated to the everyday person. A girl like Ruby could walk in with a mere 20 cents jingling in her purse and get just about anything she wanted for lunch. In fact, if her 20 cents happened to be in the form of two dimes, she would actually need to get to the glass booths to get them changed into five-cent pieces. Working there with unceasing efficiency were official-looking women called nickel throwers. With little rubber tips on their fingers, they would take your larger coins and change them

Starting point is 00:13:37 into nickels, which would clink cheerfully into a little dish on your side of the window. Anything you wanted in the entire automat could be purchased in five-cent increments, with most items costing 15 cents and some only five. Here, a humble secretary like Ruby could eat like a queen. And it wasn't just the food that made the automats special. It was the atmosphere and the people. From the moment a patron walked in,

Starting point is 00:14:26 they were surrounded by a feeling of orderliness and luxury. Right in the center of the wall, up high, there was a beautiful clock that looked like something out of Grand Central Terminal. There were gold accents everywhere, and the hardware on all the knobs and contraptions were very elegant. Teal accents here and there made her feel like she was inside a jewelry box. Even the beverage dispensers looked like embellishments on an Italian fountain. To insert one nickel and pour oneself a cup of coffee out of one of these exotic spouts was almost as good as a vacation in Europe.

Starting point is 00:15:34 However, unlike most fancy places in the city, the automat was a completely democratic place. Fine ladies in fur stoles lunched with well-heeled grandchildren, while nearby, a taxi driver enjoyed a beef pie. Elegant lawyers or businessmen read their papers over a sandwich, while shop girls whispered over coffee at the next table. The automat seemed to be a sort of magical crossroads where social class vanished. After all, nothing cost more than a few nickels, and everybody helped themselves. Today, the room was pleasantly humming, but not too crowded. Ruby stepped up to the glass booth to swap some of her change for five cent pieces.

Starting point is 00:16:49 The girl behind the window hardly even had to look at her hands as she performed her work and the coins were soon dispensed. Slipping them neatly into the palm of her hand, Ruby took a tray and walked over to the wall of glass compartments where the food was displayed. This was her favorite part. her favorite part. There was something wonderful about having an entire wall of small windows in front of you, filled with lunch options.

Starting point is 00:17:43 The windows were only about four inches tall and six or seven inches wide. They were stacked in little columns with each column of windows embedded in a wall of a fancy marble finish. Every column had one type of item in it, item in it, indicated by a glowing sign that sat above. For example, it might say sandwiches or pies. Then, next to each individual window, there was a menu card. The card would tell you whether the compartment held a cream cheese and jelly sandwich, for example, or a tomato and lettuce sandwich. It would also tell you how many coins you'd need to deposit in order to purchase it. One nickel. two nickels.

Starting point is 00:18:56 There was something so simple and transactional about the little window and its value in sense. In a complicated world, choosing a sandwich could, at least, be easy. Some windows even held warm food. These heartier dishes tended to cost three or even four nickels, but you could get a chicken pot pie or macaroni and cheese, or something much simpler like beans or creamed spinach. It was hard to believe how a meal could come out of a little window like that, and taste so wonderful and fresh. That was all part of the magic of the automat, and it was no wonder people of all walks of life loved it.

Starting point is 00:19:55 Ruby always relished the moment when she dropped her nickels into the slot and rotated the little knob that said, turn. Completing this action would release the locked window and she could then retrieve her item, closing the window again with a satisfying click. Her sandwiches always came out wrapped neatly in wax paper. Every package appeared identical to the last. She reflected that the folks behind the scenes must wrap hundreds, no, thousands of sandwiches a week. Placing the wax paper package on her tray, she proceeded to the beverage area.

Starting point is 00:20:56 There were teacups perfectly arranged in a nook on the wall. One large zine read, Black Coffee, and a smaller one politely said, Deposit change, pull handle. She knew from past experience that it was important to have your cup in place when you turned that lever, because exactly the right amount would stream from the spigot. Then it would be over. If you missed your portion, it would be another nickel out of your pocket to get a second pour. another nickel out of your pocket to get a second pour. With her sandwiches and her steaming cup of coffee ready,

Starting point is 00:21:55 she turned to face the room. There were numerous empty tables. Although she had sometimes toyed with the idea of sitting across from one of the handsome young gentlemen who wiled away their lunch hours over the newspaper, she had never gotten the nerve. Instead, she always secretly hoped that such a fellow might come over to her table, perhaps saying, is this seat taken? She smiled to herself and blushed a little as she took her place at a sparkling clean spot nearby. In her head, she heard her mother saying,

Starting point is 00:22:53 You never know when you could meet the love of your life. As she adjusted her chair and prepared to unwrap her sandwich, she gazed out at the front windows. The rain was coming down even harder than before. Rivulets of rain ran in slanted paths down the glass, partially obscuring the scenes of the street outside. As she took her first bite, Ruby closed her eyes for a moment and enjoyed the warmth and safety of the friendly automat dining room. She could hear so much gentle activity around her. Dishes were being cleared,

Starting point is 00:23:59 coins were being dispensed. Other diners held quiet conversations, sometimes laughing at some funny joke or funny story, everyone here was comfortable and welcome. The voice of a child projected slightly above the adult murmurs, and she opened her eyes to see a little boy addressing a girl whom she suspected might be his sister. They stood near the milk dispenser. Both children were nicely dressed. He in flannel trousers and a sweater vest, and she in Mary Jane shoes and a dress that came to her knee.

Starting point is 00:24:55 Their mother was distracted nearby while making a macaroni and cheese purchase. Meanwhile, they were having a debate about the milk spout. It's a lion, the boy insisted firmly. The girl shook her head, long curls bobbing, and pointed to the faucet in question. No, silly, it's a duck, it has a bill. No, silly, it's a duck, it has a bill." Both children scrutinized the milk dispenser more carefully, parting only when their mother returned with a full tray and urged them over to a table.

Starting point is 00:25:50 Ruby smiled and laughed quietly to herself. She could see why the children were having a debate. The beast on the beverage dispenser was rather outlandish. Some time later, having finished her sandwich, Ruby leaned back in her seat and looked around. She was planning to stretch out her coffee as long as possible. She neatly folded the empty wax paper into a small square, leaving it neatly on her tray. Then, opening her purse, she pulled out her latest novel. It was called Rebecca, and all her friends had been reading it. been reading it. Her friend Lorna had told her that it was being made into a movie with Laurence Olivier, so she was determined to finish the novel before seeing it in the theater. Ruby sipped her hot coffee as she made her way through the next chapter.

Starting point is 00:27:09 Despite the fact that she was really enjoying the book, she couldn't help but look up from time to time and take in the scene around her. around her. She noticed that the row of self-service pie windows nearby was just about empty. A grandmotherly lady was removing the very last slice of, yes, it was cherry pie. As this happened, Ruby watched with anticipation, because she knew some of the trademark efficiency of the automat would be shortly on display. Sure enough, within moments, the entire metal drum inside the pie column slowly turned. Like magic, a new stack of filled pie windows appeared. Ruby knew that dedicated workers behind the scenes were now filling the empty pie slots for the next

Starting point is 00:28:27 revolution of the display. That was the quietly brilliant illusion of the automat. It appeared to be entirely self-service, appeared to be entirely self-service, but a full staff of people kept it bright, clean, and stocked at all times. They were just out of sight. A pair of men in flannel suits strolled by her table carrying trays of hot food. One of them had a newspaper under his arm. They seemed to be engaged in a lively conversation. The men sat at the table next to Ruby. She turned her eyes back to her book,

Starting point is 00:29:27 but she couldn't help but overhear their discussion, and she found herself drawn in. As everyone in town knew, the World's Fair was about to open soon. the World's Fair was about to open soon. Her lunch neighbors were talking about the amazing exhibits that were expected. Supposedly, it was going to be the most expensive World's Fair ever presented. The theme this year was Dawn of a New Day, which sounded lovely and optimistic to Ruby. Everyone in the city could use some fun. The two men next to her were especially interested in the time capsules that were to be buried,

Starting point is 00:30:32 supposedly not to be opened for five thousand years. They were debating the value of the items that had been chosen to be placed in the capsules. The writings of Albert Einstein made sense to them both, but one man scoffed at the inclusion of a men's safety racer and a cupB doll. However, they both agreed that it was a good idea to have seeds in there. After all, would those foods be around in the future? Ruby found herself thinking about what she would put in the capsules. It was fascinating to consider, but she was glad it wasn't up to her to decide such an important thing.

Starting point is 00:31:34 It was hard to imagine what the world would be like in 5,000 years. Apparently, the World's Fair was going to be broadcast on television, which was creating a stir. One of the men said he'd read an article recently where the author said television would never surpass radio, because people wouldn't sit still to watch something like that. The author's reasoning was that radio allowed people to do other things while they listened. Ruby pondered this. Wasn't it nice sometimes just to do nothing? She secretly felt that watching the World's Fair on TV might be nice, especially if she lived too far away to go in person.

Starting point is 00:32:47 And wasn't that why films were so great? She strongly disagreed with this journalist who preferred radio, she decided. Ruby's eye wandered a few tables away where she saw a woman who seemed to be about her own age. She was obviously on her lunch hour as well and was dressed like most of the professional girls in a sensible A-line dress and a cardigan. Her sandwich sat uneaten on her plate as she slowly sipped her drink. But what interested Ruby was the magazine she was reading. It said, Glamour of Hollywood on the front, and it featured a large cover photo of the actress and Sheridan. Ruby had seen Ms. Sheridan in loads of movies.

Starting point is 00:34:05 Just last year, she had starred in a really good one with James Cagney and Humphrey Bogart. Ruby didn't allow herself a lot of luxuries, but much like her lunches at the Auto Match, a glossy celebrity magazine was a little treat she sometimes indulged in. She had never seen this one before and was resolved to look for it when she passed the new stand. The girl who was sitting nearby certainly seemed to be riveted. Ruby noticed that she was tapping her toes back and forth under the table, as if playing a tune in her head.

Starting point is 00:35:02 The toes of her high-heeled shoes went back and forth, back and forth. Ruby imagined that, if they had met under different circumstances, they would probably be friends. Just beyond her, Ruby noticed a lanky young man at another table. He had pushed his empty plate aside and seemed to be quietly sketching something on a notepad in front of him. Following his line of sight, she saw that he was observing the wall compartments that housed all the pie slices. She looked at his pencil and saw it drawing one rectangle after another in a straight row. Then he stopped and squinted at his subject, examining the pie slices from afar. After a moment, he began drawing again.

Starting point is 00:36:14 She smiled at the thought that, just like her, he was stretching out his lunch in the automatic and observing the scene. out his lunch in the auto-mat and observing the scene. The only difference was that she was imprinting it on her memory while he recorded it on paper. The two children she had overheard earlier at the milk dispenser had finished their lunches. She watched them as their mother got them back into their little raincoats and picked up her purse. Don't forget your comic book, she said to the boy. He nodded obediently and clasped a worn copy of a magazine to his side. Ruby could just make out that it was called science fiction. It featured two people on the front wearing red space suits. By the look of it, the little boy had already thumbed through the comic many times.

Starting point is 00:37:36 She found herself hoping he could avoid getting it wet when he went back outside. It looked precious to him. As the little family disappeared through the revolving door, a neatly dressed, auto-mat employee appeared at their table. Efficiently clearing their dishes away, he wiped the table and it was perfectly clean again in a jiffy. As he silently retreated to the back of the automat, she marveled again at how the invisible human presence did such a good job of maintaining the performance of the restaurant.

Starting point is 00:38:31 Every patron felt like they were serving themselves, but nothing here could really happen without the capable employees who kept it running like clockwork. Speaking of clocks, Ruby looked at the one up on the wall and realized she would have to go soon. Her sandwich had been eaten, her coffee cup was empty, and the light pitter patter of rain on the glass windows served to remind her of the existence of the world outside. She neatly placed all her items on her tray and secured her book back inside her bag, collecting her umbrella.

Starting point is 00:39:28 Then, standing up slowly, she stepped back from the table, pushed her chair into its place at the lacquered table. The automat was a little quieter now that lunch was almost over, but her gaze lingered on the few patrons who remained. Each one was lost in their own thoughts or engaged in quiet conversation with a companion. And in the background, there were the sounds of the automat doing its work, windows opening and closing, change ringing merrily as it slipped into the dispenser, into the dispenser, knobs turning, hot coffee pouring into cups with a cheerful little gurgle. It was a lunchtime symphony she had come to love. The automat was a happy place for her.

Starting point is 00:40:46 As she moved toward the exit, an impeccably dressed older man in a pinstripe suit passed her, heading inside. Seeing Ruby, his face broke into a wide smile and he lifted his hat, nodding politely. It was such a gallant little gesture that she was both surprised and delighted. How wonderful, she thought, that people can meet each other here as strangers and still feel a sort of kinship. Pushing her way through the golden and glass door, she felt the warmth of the restaurant blow outward with her, and she knew that the table where she sat was already shining and clean, waiting for its next customer.

Starting point is 00:41:52 Ruby put up her umbrella and merged with the current of city-goers who streamed back out into the world. back out into the world. She floated along with them as if giving in to the progress of a river. And as she hopped lightly over puddles and politely making her way for the onrushing pedestrians, she felt generosity toward them, oddly more at peace than before. Her spirits had been lifted. She was already looking forward to the next time she'd have a chance to have another lunchtime to herself.

Starting point is 00:42:47 And watch the world go by at the marvelous, welcoming automat. You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You You. you

Get Sleepy: Sleep meditation and stories - A Relaxing Lunch at a 1930s Automat

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