That's gold,Jerry!

Nick

Nick looked out across the water as the sun shimmered across it. It was the first real nice day of spring, even though it was only 55 or so and everything seemed right with the world. He had case his line in the river, a cold beer in his hand, things were good.  He had been drinking and fishing since 11 when he had called the diner to tell them he wasn’t going to be coming in.  Frank had sounded strange on, almost incoherent in fact, but he was pretty sure he had said ‘Ok.’ Or something to that affect. Not that Frank gave a shit anymore, that much was obvious.  

 Nick had met up with his friend Zach who mentioned he just picked up a bag, and Nick had picked up a six pack and they had headed down to the lake.  ‘What are you doing tonight?’ Zach asked as he lit a blunt. ‘I’m not sure yet.  Gonna wait and see. It’s just nice to not have to go in to that fucking place.’ Zach took a hit of the blunt and passed it to Nick. ‘You called out?’ Zach asked. ‘Yeah, I told them I had strep which I had a month back. Still got the doctor’s note I’m just going to change the dates.’ ‘Nice.’ Zach said.

Nick passed the blunt over to Zach, ‘It’s almost done.’ He said. Zach took the last hit before discarding the roach into the river. ‘I think my phone’s ringing.’ Zach said reaching into his pockets.  ‘It’s Gary.’ He said as he extracted it. ‘Don’t answer.’ Nick said. ‘Obviously.’ Zach replied. It was usually the best policy, he usually wanted you to work but the conversation would drag on forever. ‘This is my first Friday off since I started, fuck that.’ Zach remarked.  Nick nodded so many options tonight. Still a lot of time.  Probably going to be pissed at me at work, that’s ok, they’ll get over it.

Sam pulled his van into the back with a sinking feeling.  This one was going to be bad, he just knew it. It was only a question of how it was going to be bad, what was going to be the extent of the damage. He got out locking the door as he went, then wondering why. His van didn’t have a radio and it also sported a blazing red ‘R’ on the side.  Do they need to make to bold, like that, so stark? Like on of this red ‘A’ they put on witches or whatever that was.  He looked at his phone 3:57 time to face the music, he thought, and walked toward the back entrance. 

 As he came in he was greeted with the familiar smile of mold, grease, and burgers.  The back sink was filled with prep dishes as he walked in, Nice,  Sam thought, a sign of what’s to come.  He walked through the prep area into the office over to the time clock and punched in his number. The door to the line was closed but he could hear the activity inside. Normally if there were two cooks on he would have waited for them to finish the orders.  Sure he could come in to help, but the line was so small that sometimes it was only a hindrance.  Today however he knew it was only Jim and Frank, and Frank was at the computer at the office. Spacing out, apparently Sam thought. 

 He opened the door unto the line. Jim was five slips deep . ‘Hey Jim.’ Sam said. Jim said nothing, Sam could see he had set up’s for the first three slips, all burgers. ‘Everything’s down.’ Jim said. Jim is a stalwart old soldier, Sam thought. Even though he would get mighty pissed he could cook some of the craziest day’s by himself. ‘Been like this all day.’ Jim said as he grabbed a picked up a basket full of fries.  Sam threw some cheese on the burgers, Jim handed him the fries. The line looked like a bomb had gone off, crumbs everywhere, stains, fries, grease.  Sam threw the fries on the plate and put up the first two orders. Jim was folding an omelet for the last order.

‘Fucking 4 oh ‘clock and he want’s on omelet.’ Jim said as he handed  Sam the plated omelet with homefrie’s.  He had stuck and toast on top of the toaster and now placed it on the plate. Sam put it up.  ‘Have fun.’ Jim said, as he took of his apron.  Don’t like the sound of that, Sam thought as he walked toward the steam table, how bad could it possibly be? Don’t ask questions like that, he thought to himself.  As he walked over to the steam table he could see why, no gravy, no meat sauce, no French Onion, going to have to basically rebuild this whole steam table, no big deal.  There are no orders, now at least. He walked toward the cooler. Where the fuck is Gary? Sam thought. He saw his truck out there but he hadn’t seen him out back, probably out front talking to someone. He grabbed a small cambro and walked toward the cooler. I want to get paid to come in prep a couple things, then go out front and talk to people and do nothing for a couple of hours. Sam thought, cynically. He filled one cambro sauce and one with gravy and headed back to the line. He quickly threw them both in the microwave.  He noticed a couple slips from the printer, he put them up on the board and threw on a couple burgers, and dropped some fries and some home fries.  I must have been here for a few minutes, Sam thought and checked his phone  4:17, he should be here by now.  He knew sometimes Frank had people coming in at 5 to stagger it, save money.  He walked over to the schedule, no Nick 4-10 it says.  What the fuck? Sam thought. How is it so hard to get anyone to come in on time? Or to come in at all.

Sam walked back over to the line and flipped the burgers.  There was a slight possibility he’s still coming in, Sam thought, maybe he just got delayed.  He smiled to himself, did that ever actually happen.  Gary came walked in from the front, the same dazed look he usually sported. ‘Sam, how’s it going?’ Gary asked. ‘Well pretty bad right now.’ Sam replied. ‘Is Nick coming in tonight?’ He asked. ‘No, he sick.’ ‘Are you going to call anyone?’ ‘I did. No one picked up. But I’m here.’ Better than nothing, I guess. Sam mused.  ‘Can you heat up some stuff for the line?’ Sam asked. Gary nodded.  Fuck, I got to work with this asshole all night?