This morning, I spent time at an IHOP in Mansfield where a gentleman wandered in, waving a gun around.

And lo, as the sun began rising over the flapjacks, reporters were working industriously to provide people with information about why a popular business in a busy neighborhood was surrounded by police cars and crime scene tape. As time went on, some of those same reporters and TV photographers started arguing about whether waffles or flapjacks are a better way to start your day.

This wasn’t a funny story. The restaurant had to be evacuated and people were afraid for their lives. Police officers, reporters and photographers see this a lot, though. Sometimes we start joking or get off on tangents to take the edge off.

This is how you build contacts, journalism students: hang out at pancake joints and talk to people about other breakfast joints. It builds camaraderie. Loyal Scaiaholics will recall I broke the story about IHOB being a scam last year.

The sergeant who was dealing with the media was providing regular updates. At one point, we asked if he had a timetable for police to wrap up and the restaurant could start cleaning up and reopen. Because it was an officer-involved shooting, he said Texas Rangers and the Tarrant County DA’s office had people out, too, so there were several moving parts.

In passing, he added that people would need to find another place to get their waffles that morning.

This led to a discussion that would span the entire Metroplex.

Obviously, a flapjack is better than a waffle. No one would argue that, right? Right?!

But as the photographers and I started discussing this breakfast situation, some of them said they prefer waffles, too.

Listen, I’m no prude. I’m not showing up at IHOP to fill up on whatever is their weirdly intricate flavor of the month, like a cannoli pancake that would probably cause my grandmother to get offended. I just want some flapjacks. A stack of pancakes is more filling [and thus, journalism students, more likely to give you the energy you need to start your day] than a single Eggo waffle you shove in the microwave.

I mentioned this to an associate via text. She replied that she is on Team Waffle, urging me to “take [my] Yankee ass home.”

I had no idea Waffles vs Flapjacks was a North-South debate! Had Fort Sumter been fired upon?!

I took this up with our web editor back in the newsroom in Dallas.

“If you want a waffle, go to Waffle House,” he explained quite concisely. And I nodded thoughtfully.

But I think he might be from Ohio, too.

In conclusion, Waffles vs Flapjacks will be an episode of the podcast. Feel free to send in your arguments on both sides.