Now I'm back, now I'm back again
Thursday—
Really, I’m not even supposed to be here anymore. Not at this place. And not so late. When I entered, my intent was only to stay a couple minutes. Now it’s three something in the morning and someone is putting a badge under my nose. The badge is not as big and flashy as the one you play with when you’re a kid but this one as something special to it that makes it more powerful. Maybe it’s because this one is no fake. It looks heavy and the gold shines against the black leather of the wallet. When the guy flipped his wallet open and showed me his badge, I had the time to read what was carved on it.
D— J—
District Attorney
Like I said, when I came in, I didn’t plan to stay. I was tired and hungry. All I wanted when I pushed the door of the restaurant where I used to work, is get back the $200 my former boss still owes me. But the boss was out when I arrived. And my friend Maureen was at the counter instead of the usual waiter. After the usual greetings, Maureen asked me if I want to work tonight? There was a party of twenty something about to come and she was the only waitress. I looked around the places and noticed the white tablecloth, the flower in little vases on the table, the wine glasses. I asked her if really she couldn’t make do. For the first time I explained to her the situation. “This guy owes me money already, I’m not too excited at the idea of putting on some more work for nothing.” But she said please and she looked me with her large, pleading eyes. I should have left right then.
But I stayed. And when the boss arrived, he was all sweet and sugar and he too asked me to stay. He said he would appreciate. Every word he said made me more and more angry with him but I let it go. On the one hand I like Maureen and she needed help. Twenty people is not too much for one waiter, but the configuration of the restaurant, with its rows of tables along the lateral walls and the counter set perpendicularly in between make it difficult if you’re alone.
Before I said yes, I mouth to Maureen, “I do it for YOU.” Customers had already started to arrive. It was seven o’clock. Nine hours later, I’m sitting at the table of the last customers drinking wine and talking with the passion you have when you had a little too much wine. When they leave, I ask one of the guy whom I found pretty cool, “Don’t tell me you’re a lawyer too?”
“No, worse—I’m a D.A.”
“You’re kidding.”
And then he opened his wallet and showed me his badge.
My boss paid me for the night. But he still didn’t pay me for the tab he has. He said, “I have another party Saturday. Twenty people. If you come, I’ll give you the rest.”
I asked if Maureen would work too and she said yes. So I said, that if she was working then I’ll come.
Really, I’m not even supposed to be here anymore. Not at this place. And not so late. When I entered, my intent was only to stay a couple minutes. Now it’s three something in the morning and someone is putting a badge under my nose. The badge is not as big and flashy as the one you play with when you’re a kid but this one as something special to it that makes it more powerful. Maybe it’s because this one is no fake. It looks heavy and the gold shines against the black leather of the wallet. When the guy flipped his wallet open and showed me his badge, I had the time to read what was carved on it.
D— J—
District Attorney
Like I said, when I came in, I didn’t plan to stay. I was tired and hungry. All I wanted when I pushed the door of the restaurant where I used to work, is get back the $200 my former boss still owes me. But the boss was out when I arrived. And my friend Maureen was at the counter instead of the usual waiter. After the usual greetings, Maureen asked me if I want to work tonight? There was a party of twenty something about to come and she was the only waitress. I looked around the places and noticed the white tablecloth, the flower in little vases on the table, the wine glasses. I asked her if really she couldn’t make do. For the first time I explained to her the situation. “This guy owes me money already, I’m not too excited at the idea of putting on some more work for nothing.” But she said please and she looked me with her large, pleading eyes. I should have left right then.
But I stayed. And when the boss arrived, he was all sweet and sugar and he too asked me to stay. He said he would appreciate. Every word he said made me more and more angry with him but I let it go. On the one hand I like Maureen and she needed help. Twenty people is not too much for one waiter, but the configuration of the restaurant, with its rows of tables along the lateral walls and the counter set perpendicularly in between make it difficult if you’re alone.
Before I said yes, I mouth to Maureen, “I do it for YOU.” Customers had already started to arrive. It was seven o’clock. Nine hours later, I’m sitting at the table of the last customers drinking wine and talking with the passion you have when you had a little too much wine. When they leave, I ask one of the guy whom I found pretty cool, “Don’t tell me you’re a lawyer too?”
“No, worse—I’m a D.A.”
“You’re kidding.”
And then he opened his wallet and showed me his badge.
My boss paid me for the night. But he still didn’t pay me for the tab he has. He said, “I have another party Saturday. Twenty people. If you come, I’ll give you the rest.”
I asked if Maureen would work too and she said yes. So I said, that if she was working then I’ll come.
posted by Cecyl at 1:54 PM
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