The Lunch Chapter 12

Daniel has lunch with Lynn and discuss about Adam

  Chapter 12

The Lunch

It was lunchtime when Daniel went to Lynn’s garret. He had a few seconds earlier observed Adam leaving the office by himself looking very depressed with his head drooped down. He felt a bit of pity for Adam but couldn’t understand why Adam looked so down. Anyway he was more concerned with his next move to get to know Lynn better.

He knocked on the door that was always ajar, and said. ”Are you there Lynn?”

“Come in,” Lynn replied in her usual cheerful voice. “Oh it’s you, Daniel, I’m just about to go for lunch.”

“Then I caught you at the right moment” Daniel quickly replied as he entered the room. “Like to join me for lunch, I know a good place for a good, healthy inexpensive meal.”

I know she likes to eat healthy food.

“Sounds good…….my treat this time’, she answered and continued. “I’m really famished”.

”Hey, we’ll go Dutch. Lunch is more expensive then the snack we had at Papa Del Fiore’s the other day”.

Can’t let her pay this, I’ve got to be a gentlemen.

“Okay, that’s fine. You caught me on a right day,” Lynn mused, “because, I normally join Sarah and Mike for lunch but today I didn’t.” She was referring to her two more senior computer graphic designers who shared the same room with her. Mike was the head of the graphic design department.

God, you really are on my side today.

“Great! The diner is at Burke Street Mall, on the mezzanine floor food court,” Daniel explained with enthusiasm and continued, “and it’s called ‘The Hot Potato’.”

“MMMM, I love potato. It’s really a healthy and complete food,” Lynn responded with delight in her ever cheerful sweet voice.

Things are working out well again this time. It’s going to be a good lunch.

“It’s really an interesting place and there are many types of toppings and gravies that go with these huge potatoes,” replied Daniel, “you’ll like it. And it won’t even cost you your little finger either.”

Lynn chuckled and said, “And I won’t do the ‘The Chariots of fire’ too!”

Daniel laughed and invited her. ”Shall we go now. It’ll take 10 minutes walk to get there.” He stepped aside to let Lynn go out of the room first, being the gentlemen that he was.

Down on the street was full of traffic and people walking on the sidewalks. It was a hot summer’s day and people were dressed to the minimal. There were the sounds of cars honking and vehicles moving as Daniel and Lynn walked towards Burke Street Mall. As promised she walked slower this time. He was dressed in a light cotton long sleeved shirt with the sleeves neatly rolled up to his elbows, and custom sewn cotton slacks.  Lynn was wearing a short sleeve laced blouse embroidered with patterns of butterflies in white and long beige tights. They both had on their sun glasses just like many other people on the street. There was a warm breeze coming from the north that was quite dusty. There were shoppers and office people going for their lunch hour and about their business. Two helmeted policemen rode slowly on horses on the opposite side of the street as Daniel and Lynn reached the entrance to Burke Street Mall. A tram rode noisily pass on the tracks embedded into the road. It was packed with passengers.

 

It was exactly a quarter pass one when they arrived at the small diner on the mezzanine floor of the crowded mall. There was a simple sign above the entrance with the name ‘The Hot Potato’ and a tripod, with the menu placed onto it, at the side of the doorway. As they entered they were greeted with the delicious smell of food and baked potatoes as well as the sight and sounds of a jammed packed small diner. There were people seated at square tables and at the long dining ledge that was against three of the walls of the dining area, having their lunch and chatting. Large mirrors above the ledge magnified the size of the diner. There was a green menu board with prices above the service counter. The day’s special menu was written in white and red chalk while pictures of potatoes wrapped in foil with different types of toppings and garnishing circled the room. Some lights were on but most of the lighting came from the full length glass windows on one side of the room.

“I like this place,” quipped Lynn with delight as they searched for a table. Just then a couple got up and left their table at one corner. “Over there!” said Daniel and led the way to the table. A waitress cleared the dishes and cleaned the table with a table cloth as they seated themselves down. Menus were handed to them and as they read through the menus Daniel couldn’t help stealing a few glances at Lynn. He admired her beautiful healthy fair pinkish complexion.

God she looks really radiant today.

 They chose their drinks from the menu but decided to order food from the day’s special on the menu board. There were salad entrees and 3 types of soup of the day followed by 8 different types of toppings for the Queensland potatoes that were humongous in size. There was the Philadelphia sour cream cheese with grated bacon topping, the Italian mushroom and chicken with brown gravy topping, the French Mediterranean anchovies with melted Riviera cheese and pureed tomato topping, the diced chicken Parmiagiana with Hollandaise cheese sauce topping, the Irish pork and kidney stew with grated Cheddar cheese topping and so on.

 

“I’ll just have the Philadelphia sour cream cheese with grated bacon topping potato with ice cinnamon lemon tea,” declared Lynn.

“I knew you would order that.” Daniel mused.

“Oh! How come?”

“Because you are into health food,” replied Daniel with a grin. Lynn chuckled, “You are so right, let me guess what you’re going to order.”

“Be my guest.”

“The French Mediterranean anchovies with melted Riviera cheese and pureed tomato topping potato,” guessed Lynn, “and for a drink, you’re having ice lemon soda.”

Wrong

“You are so right too!” Daniel lied. Actually he wanted the diced chicken Parmiagiana with Hollandaise sauce potato and mineral water with squeezed lemon.

That should amuse her

He guessed right. She giggled sweetly.

“Hey, I’m clairvoyant,” she joked.

“That makes two of us,” responded Daniel with another grin.

They gave their orders to a young waiter and 5 minutes later the food and drinks arrived on their table. “Wow, they’re really fast,” remarked Lynn.

“That’s also one of the reasons why I like this place,” added Daniel, “plus the good choices.”

The aroma of the sauces and baked potato which was sliced open and still wrapped in tin foil but filled over the brim with the toppings excited their nostrils as they started eating.

“It’s delicious,” blurted Lynn with a fork in her left hand and a mouthful of potato and cheese.

Great! She like it

“I’m glad you like it,” replied Daniel, “mine taste good too.”

“I know,” she said, “it looks good.”

This is a chance for me, maybe I can try this

“Go ahead, try some of mine,” insisted Daniel, pushing his dish closer to Lynn, and joked, "and I won't charge you anything for it."

Lynn Giggled.

“Okay.” Then she reached out with her fork and took some of Daniel’s baked potato and topping. “It’s different. I like the anchovy and cheese. The tomato puree is deliciously tangy.”

“I know.”

“Try some of mine too and I don't charge anything either.” insisted Lynn in turn with enthusiasm.

This is getting good

“Sure.” Daniel said and tasted some of her dish.

Yeeks! Hate sour cream cheese

“MMMMM, eh, it’s lovely.”

The meal continued with light chatter and ended with Daniel cleaning his platter while Lynn finished her topping with half the potato uneaten.

“You’ll a light eater,” observed Daniel, “you really watch your diet, don’t you.”

“Yes, I do. I’m quite petite you know. Can’t afford to put on much weight.” Then she took a sip of her drink through the straw slowly while Daniel finished his.

“How’s work at the office?” Daniel asked.

“Busy as usual,” she answered, “but I noticed Adam looking rather depressed today.”

“More depressed than he usually is. Yes, I did too.” Daniel agreed.

”He had an encounter with Fritz, ‘The Old Big Head’ this morning.” Daniel continued.

Lynn giggled then frowned slightly and asked with concern. ”Did something happen between Adam and Fritz?”

“Yes, Fritz was giving Adam a hard time when I intervened. But I think other things were bothering Adam too.”

“Like what?” Lynn asked.

“Like what you said the other day……”

“The others bothering him.” She cut in.

“Yes.”

“Maybe we should try to make him feel more comfortable at the office,” said Lynn.

“Yes, I’m already trying. We could try harder.”

“How’s his work?” She questioned with concern.

“Good. Surprisingly. I don’t know how he does it but he writes good articles.”

“Really!” she exclaimed with enthusiasm. “That’s great. I’m proud of him.” She was beaming.

Adam felt a slight tinge of jealousy but brush it aside quickly.

“He’s got talent there.” Daniel muttered with a slight grudge.

Now’s my chance to ask her

“Hey, by the way would you like to go for a movie this Thursday night?” Daniel asked casually.

‘Yeah, I would love to,” replied Lynn excitedly, “I haven’t watched a good movie in months.”

Great! My first real date with her.

“There’s a good comedy playing at Village cinemas this week,” he shared with enthusiasm.

“I love comedies,” exclaimed Lynn with equal enthusiasm. “What movie is it? Let me guess. Oh I know. It must be ‘Pink Panther 3’.”

“You guessed right!”
“I saw ‘Pink Panther 2’.” She giggled. “It was hilarious.”

This is going well

“Shall we go for the 8.00 pm movie?" he asked with confidence.

“Yes, that will be fine.” Then she paused for a moment, thinking. Next came the bombshell. It was something that would pour cold water onto Daniel's plans.

“Let’s bring Adam along!” she declared with excitement. “A comedy should do him some good! It will really cheer him up. We agreed to try to help Adam out, didn’t we?”

Daniel was lost for words for a moment. He hadn't expected that from her. He managed to recover and put on a smile.

“Eh…. Sure. We could do that. We eh…….could make it a…… threesome……”

“Great!” Lynn exclaimed with joy. “I’m looking forward to this.”

Oh no, she is really means it.

“Eh……so am I.” Daniel lied once again.

I knew Adam would be a problem but not this way

Daniel’s mood wasn’t so upbeat nor pitiful of Adam the rest of the afternoon.

 

 

 

Author's Note

What do you think of the story so far, there will be a dramatic twist next chapter.....

Reviews

[TKBickel]

I finish reading this last night and found myself overwhelmingly hungry for a stuffed potato. The craving was so strong I didn't take time to do a review. So now I'm back.
Potatoes eveywhere and I thought this was a great chapter.

'"Shall we go for the 8.00 pm movie?(")'

[Coyote Poetry]

I like the date of Daniel and lynn being planned. The chapter open the door to good thoughts and bad one's. Adam is falling apart. What can Daniel do? Thank you for the excellent chapter.
Coyote