There's something about working at a restaurant that hits just right, y'know? Flipping pancakes on a grill and keeping up with orders is super relaxing. You'd assume it would be stressful, but somehow it's the stress that's relaxing.
There isn't any time to think, y'know?
Now, you'd also assume that it's because there's stuff I wanna ignore, and that's not true either. I just.. I just wanna keep up with the bustle and hustle, y'know? It's easy stuff really. Too much thinkin' can be bad for a man like me, and you'd probably agree if you knew everything that went on in the world, and I mean like: everything. All the crimes that get committed and stuff like that. New York is a scary place you know.
"Eyo, Bobby. We gotta get the next order out. Quit daydreaming and start cooking"
My boss, he's kinda loud, but he gets the job done. That's alright I suppose, it's the end product that matters, y'know? Hm.. alright what was the order again? I take a look at the little crumpled piece of paper.
It's smudged?
No don't worry about it too much I'll just squint really hard and the whole thing will slowly become clear to me.
What.
I kept squinting at it.. what did that mean?
"Bobby, at the exact instant you read this note, you'll have exactly 2 hours to live. Use them wisely"
This note had to be a joke, right? Some prank from one of the usuals! I just shake my head and close my eyes. What a silly joke, haha.
Right?
I focus back down at the plate of pancakes that I was working on, Susan is here today, and she always asks for the big stack with all the strawberries on them. It's a good meal and I don't mind making it. Some other meals are so much worse to work on, like having to make a ton of eggs for the breakfast rush? Raw egg is just so gross and it's such a pain to work with and...
I can't stop thinking about that note.. should I tell my boss about it? He'll probably get mad about it and then somebody will get in trouble... I guess it being a death threat and all. Man what a- what a weird day! I should just keep focusing on the food I'm making, right? It's important that I don't lose focus. Wait where is the spatula I was using.
Where's the note?
I look around for my missing objects but they just.. aren't anywhere. What's that smell?
"Bobby! The grill is on fire!" my boss yells out. I cry out when I see that the pancake stack I had been working on bursts into flames and spreads around the kitchen. I run to grab the fire extinguisher but the fire raises itself into a wall and I can't reach it. I'm trapped! Somebody help me!! Fuck! I cower in the middle of the kitchen and I just pray that somebody will come and save me!!
After the fire closes in on him, Bobby got wheeled out of the kitchen with damage to his skin and lungs, and regardless of the doctors efforts he sadly died two hours later. Upon investigation of the scene all that was found was a smudged burnt note. The whole incident was chalked up to getting distracted while cooking.
