Personal Yummy #112
“Two Budweisers and a fuzzy navel, please!” I call out, just about out of breath. I have five tables going at once, and I really need to get these drinks to the table that was last sat. They’ve been looking at me all thirsty and irritated for the past ten minutes.
I watch Curt—he’s at the cash register punching in an order. But he doesn’t acknowledge me. I usually get a nod of the head, or an index finger up in the air, or something. Well, I mustn’t be loud enough again. I love Madonna’s music (and “Borderline” is one of my favorites), but I really wish she would pipe down a bit.
“Two Budweisers and a fuzzy navel, please!” I call out again, but this time with a little more gusto. I wait patiently at the end of the bar, holding my tray tightly, and take a deep breath, determined to make myself relax a bit. Certainly he heard me this time. But—if that’s the case—why is he reaching in the cooler for a couple of Heinekens?
“TWO BUDWEISERS AND A FUZZY NAVEL!!!” I yell once more—almost not knowing what’s gotten into me—this time leaving out the formality, this time being quite pushy, and this time giving it all my effort, so much so that my voice cracks a bit.
(And I thought that the third try was supposed to be a charm.)
He doesn’t even look at me, but he shoves the corkscrew into a bottle of merlot—the veins maddening in his forearms—and he twists it…and then he twists it again…and then he twists it even more—tense, acute shavings of cork escaping helplessly. And while he performs this procedure, his head shakes in utter disbelief, and upon his face explodes a wry, exasperated, ironic, intensity-ridden smile.
That smile that tells me he’s heard me…and all along.
******
Curious how this story ends?
Enjoy the rest of this story, as well as more stories about Jenna and her coworkers, in my coming-of-age novel The Grill on Murray Avenue: A Story of Innocence, available via Rebellion Books in historic Bedford, PA.
Click on the link to get your copy: Rebellion Books
Thank you for your interest!
personalyummy.com 