"Hey Lady, hurray up!" called a large balled man sitting in a corner booth. I was working the night shift til closing time and was the only waitress who was actually working.
The other girl was Kelly who only worked on weekends because she has school on the weekdays and can't work late.
Kelly stood behind the counter chatting on the phone with her boyfriend and wasn't really paying attention. She's one of those girls who only cares about boys and clothes. A typical teen.
I, on the other hand take classes at Tulsa University where Im studying photography. I want to one day open my one photography place or maybe do freelance pictures or something. Or maybe I could just get out of Tulsa altogether and never come back.
To me, Tulsa Oklahoma is not the greatest place in the world to live. In fact, I hate it. I hate having to travel all the way across town to my lonely apartment in Jenks complete with bug infested bathrooms and leaky faucets. But that's all I can afford now so it's better then nothing.
I hurried over the my costumer and gave him his receipt. "It took long enough," He grumbled and slapped down a 10 dollar bill and took another sip of his tea.
"Im sorry sir. We're just really swamped tonight and Im the only waitress here who gives a care about her job," I replied and proceeded to give him his change when Kelly came running up to me.
"Hey Allie. Listen I really need to go check on Mike. His care broke down and he doesn't have a way home. So could I go...like now," She asked me with a pleading tone. "You can handle these guys can't you? I mean you have been working here longer then I have." Did I mention that Im also the assistant manager one duty tonight? Yeah, I was the only one working.
"You actually expect me to do all the work while you go rescue your little boyfriend? Fine...Just fine. Go ahead and while you at it? How about just not coming back...ever," I replied in an angry voice.
"What...Your firing me?" Kelly replied with a pityfull look as though she were about to cry. Like she even wanted to be here.
I nodded and told her to just leave. She quickly ran to the back and I continued to see to the other costumers.
A few hours later and I was about to drop. We almost had a fight, with two truck drivers who were blocking each other's way. I could tell that they were drunk when they came staggering through the door. But John, (our head cook) came out and broke it up before the fight escalated.
It was now 10:00 and I was cleaning up the front tables. John had already left and I was all alone.
Just then, I heard the jingle come from the bell at the front door. I turned to see a tall young man come in with a long brown coat and a brown cap.
"Um...Can I help you?" I asked hesitantly and ran my hands down the front of my apron. The man looked around the diner and came toward me slowly.
"Yes ma'am...Can i get a cup of coffee?" He asked in a strangely familiar voice. He had his hands in his pockets and looked at me with a forlorn expression.
"Well, we close at 10:00 but I guess one cup won't hurt. I think the pot is still hot," I said slowly and went behind the counter. I usually would have turned a stranger away but with the way this guy was looking at me, I had the distinct feeling that I was safe.
"Okay, How do you like it?" I asked and took out a clean white cup and saucer. The man sat down on the stool and took off his coat and cap.
"Black. But with a hint of sugar please," He replied and his voice sent chills up and down my spine. I noticed that he had shaggy blonde hair and long slender fingers. Fingers that were extremely clean and well kept. I wondered to myself if he must have played piano back in his day but then I suddenly dismissed the thought.
His voice sounded so much like an old friend of mines. Someone who had been gone for about 2-3 months now. I didn't go to his funeral, because I couldn't stand the thought of him leaving me. Someone who had been my best friend. My soul mate. And maybe he still was, that is if he hadn't gotten killed. We were the best of friends and one cold rainy night, he was coming home from work and he was killed by a drunk driver. His memory was pushed back into the dark corners of my mind, never to be remember again..
I gave him his coffee and stood watching him closely.
"Thanks Allie," I answered and proceeded to open the sugar packet. I watched him methodically open one corner of the packet and thump a small clump into his cup.
I stood there for what seemed like an eternity watching his slow movements and the way he held his coffee cup made me ache. For some reason, he had the exact same mannerisms and behavior as my best friend had. He even looked a great deal like him.
Suddenly, I felt a hot sensation at my waist and realized that the coffee pot was scalding me. I quickly dropped the pot and it shattered onto the floor. The warm brown liquid poured out onto the floor and before I knew it, the stranger was at my side with a few dozen napkins.
"Here let me," He said in a sort of sing-song voice and began mopping up the coffee.
"Im terribly sorry. You must have wanted the rest of that," I said with a shaky voice as well as shaky hands as he handed me the dirty napkins.
"No that's alright. I need to be hitting the road anyway," He said and began putting his coat and cap back on.
"Where do you live?" I asked and threw the napkins into the trash.
"Oh Im just passing through. How much will that be?" He asked as I put stood wiping off the counter top.
"Oh that's on me. Especially since i spelt the last of it." I replied shaking my head. I took off my apron and turned off the coffee burner as he kept talking.
"No, I could let you do that. I have to pay you something. Not after you let me get some coffee when your supposed to be closed." He said and looked at me with a raised eyebrow.
"No I insist. It's okay. But could you let me just close up back in the back? I don't want to be alone," I replied and saw him give a slight smile. One that almost made me want to faint. "Okay," He replied and I went to the back.
I closed the door to Joe's office, double checked the back door and made sure to turn off the ovens.
"Okay. Im ready..." I said as I came through the swinging doors and into the front part of the diner, to find it completely empty. The front door was locked and and the guy was gone. I checked the men's room but it was empty also. I knew he couldn't have gone out the back, cause I would have seen him and the front door is the only way out.
A chill ran down my spine a second time when I saw a napkin laying next to the coffee cup. He had drunk every last drop of the stuff and the spoon (used to stir) was placed inside the cup. I picked up the napkin and found a ten and a twenty dollar bill laying underneath.
The napkin read:
I felt a hot tear run slowly down my cheeck and I quickly brushed it away. I stuffed to crumpled bills into my pocket, grabbed my coat and pocket book and headed out the door. I double checked the front door knob and it felt slightly warm. I suddenly felt a warm sensation run through me and I smiled.
I realized that I would be fine and that I desparetly need that $30 bucks. If not for myself, but for the memory of the person, that I know will never leave me.
