Missing The Chance

A day in the life of..

So shy....elegant innocence, riddled with contradiction, she smiles softly. So eager to meet "a friend". Enticed into a world of egotistical souls she knows nothing about. Courageous heart beaming for fun and friendship deficient in social interaction, she sits quietly alone in the small four person booth with her burgandy apron around her waist taking a quick fifteen minute break. Across the smoke filled diner she obscurely glances toward him, blushing instantly at the returned curiosity. Punches and giggles from his friends brings about more bashfulness, she turns away.

It was customary for him to arrive around three am, haggard from his long nights work of towing boxes of frozen foods from shelf to truck bed. She noticed he was escorted by the same three aquaintances every visit. Daily she would pass a soft smile without initiating eye contact, she knew he was observing every move she made. After about the fifth visit, his friends were so bold as to request her, to take their order. Not really ready for the invite, she slowly paced her way over to the table of three grinning faces and one bowed head.

Immediately she noticed the invitation was not his idea. With a blushing face he glanced up to catch her attention directed toward him in silence, for she couldn't muster up the words to ask the simple question "can I take your order?". Suprised at his reaction, she smiled with a quiet giggle and proceeded with her duties.

With five days on the job, new to the self supporting work force and feeling spotlighted against her will, she steps up to the mark and begins to call quietly, "two eggs over light, bacon, grits with cheese". "Repeat that order"....yells Jason the cook that knows her too well and has been a constant ear for information about her new romantic interest. Hesitating, she repeats the call with a slightly louder irritated voice, then in her usual manner, slowly walks to the drink machine to retrieve three glasses of soda and one cup of coffee, two creams, two sugars. Not comfortable with the amusing attention she is getting, swiftly she delivers the drinks and hides overwhelmed in the back employee only area feeling a sigh of relief that she can no longer be seen by anyone. Passing the buck, she convinces a co-worker to complete the task at hand while she remains hidden for the duration of their stay at the diner.

© 2007 Dana W. White

 

Reviews

[Francis Meyrick]

"So shy....elegant innocence, riddled with contradiction, she smiles softly. So eager to meet "a friend". Enticed into a world of egotistical souls she knows nothing about. Courageous heart beaming for fun and friendship deficient in social interaction, she sits quietly alone...."What lovely penmanship... or penwomanship. A very delicate brush. Just quietly, gingerly, the right touch here, and the perfect stroke there.This is a word picture, not a novel, or a treatise.... but a really good show of technical skills at your disposal. You can write anything you want, and describe anything you want!With those skills...I was feeling sleepy, worrying vaguely about a story I'm struggling with, and I came wide awake after the first paragraph quoted above. It was like: "Wow!"A nice glass of a good Beaujolais... let's have some more, missy. Heck no, where's the bottle?