Ah the middle of the week has arrived and I finally feel like I have a handle on the week. Things are ticking over and more or less back to normal. It always takes a few days after a holiday weekend to set my self straight. But as this is the last Holiday for a while, I should be good. At least for a few months. So the coffee is brewing and I am ready to write. are you ready to join me? Fabulous! Let’s go.
It took me a while to figure out the story for this one. And then by the time I did I had only about five minutes left on the timer so the last bit reads a little rushed. But I still think it might be something I’ll come back to. I like the idea, but it isn’t saying write me now. Which means I need to mull over a few aspects of the tale before i sit down with it. I’m good with that.
Wednesday, April 20th: He licked the froth from his upper lip.
He licked the froth from his upper lip and then smacked his lips together in enjoyment. He then went back to the straw and slurped up the last of his milkshake with relish, twisting it about in the tall glass to make certain he got every last drop. It seemed like it had been forever since he indulged himself in such a treat and he had no plans to rush it. He sat back in the booth and let out a satisfied sigh.
The restaurant was mostly empty at this time of day. There were a few people eating at the counter and a couple sharing a late lunch towards the back. The wait staff congregated elsewhere, mostly out of view, but easily able to keep a watchful eye on all the patrons in case anything was needed.
The restaurant was one of those nostalgic types. It had aspirations towards a nineteen fifties diner but came off more like a television studio crossed with a rummage sale rather than hitting a true diner style. They served burgers and fries, assorted milkshakes and ice cream floats. There were a couple of chicken sandwiches for those not wanting beef and added to the menu since the last time he was here was a long list of salads.
He assumed this was supposed to appeal to the healthier diner, however most of the salads sounded as unhealthy, if not worse than the plated options. Jake ordered his chocolate malt as soon as he sat down and told his waitress he would think about a meal after he had his shake. She nodded and made a note of his order, clearly not concerned about his preference.
As he finished the last of his shake he was unsurprised to see his waitress come through the swinging doors. She wore a professional smile that didn’t reach her eyes. He ordered a burger, choosing randomly from the list and not trying to figure out why one was called a Big Burger but another was named after a celebrity of yore.
‘Maybe they ran out of appropriate 1950s sounding celebrity names,’ he thought when she disappeared again to put his order into the kitchen. Jake wondered if there were only a certain number of names that could be associated with food products. He wondered if biting into the Elvis was better or worse than biting into a Walter Cronkite.
‘Or maybe that’s not the right time frame,’ Jake thought. He tried to remember when Walter came on the scene. Perhaps the Walter was too late for this diner’s era. ‘Or maybe no one wants to chop down on a Walter.’
The thought made him smile. The expression felt strange on his face, but then everything felt strange. How long had he been gone? Like remembering Walter, it seemed like too difficult a task to count the time. ‘Time runs differently here anyway,’ he reminded himself.
They warned him of that when he was selected for the position. It didn’t much concern him. He lost his parents well before adult hood, most of those from his childhood fell away as he bounced through the system. He made friends working, but lost most of them when his brains and effort netted him scholarships and they remained behind for factory work. He always felt out of sync so the thought of it being official hadn’t bothered him.
Ten til Midnight 