GLOST

Chapter 4 Celebration

GLOST

Chapter 4

Charles and Elaine had colluded the night before, to do things a little different this time for Steven's birthday; they decided to take him to dinner. Charles and Elaine had driven to their favorite Italian restaurant: the "Naples Garden," where they were greeted by a vividly dressed young hostess. She flaunted her cheeks, they were full of dimples and a warm smile.

It was her first job as a hostess, and she was determined to make an immediate impression on the assistant manager, and especially on young Steven Austerlitz.

Charles refused to smile at her, as he watched the young hostess open and close her mouth, he couldn’t make sense of the tiny ball stuck to her tongue. Charles had made up his mind that she was not the hostess that he had expected to greet him at the door. Disgusted, he walked past the young  girl to escort Elaine to her favorite table himself.

Charles slid back the wooden chair for Elaine, she smiled at her husband's chivalry. She began to reminisce about the decision that she made a long time ago to go out on a date with him.  it was still the best decision I've ever made, she thought. A young waitress quickly walked up to his table to greet them. He started to smile, as he looked up at her and tried to look into her mouth for a tongue ring. "You too?" he asked. How did you manage to get hired young lady?” Charles calmly asked.  “Oh, what's wrong?” she asked. He asked her to either get another waitress for his table or return with the manager.

Charles balled up his fist, and wanted to give the young waitress a piece of his mind, “Right now young lady, I think you and your hostess friend…,” he  was suddenly distracted by Elaine’s hand signals. “I'm sorry, did I do something wrong?” the young  waitress asked. Charles tried not to look back at the unpleasant expressions on Elaine's face, as she shook her head while fanning her hand back and forth, giving him the signal to keep whatever he was about to say to the waitress, to himself.

 The young waitress passed out her menus and tried to ignore the urge to stare at Charles, she was afraid he would try to encourage the manager to fire her. Charles stared at her with a look that she’d seen before; from her own angry father. Steven didn’t care about the tongue ring, she was the girl of his dreams, and he wanted her. He felt his grandfather was old fashioned so he ignored his grandfather's complaints about the crazy fads of the Israeli youth.

Ok, let's see...now that she's no longer our waitress, I may be able to salvage my appettite." he said. Charles realized that Steven was ignoring his complaint, he was too busy smiling at the beautiful young waitress. Steven’s focus on the young girl, was suddenly broken by the approach of another beautiful waitress as she rushed to  her customer. 

“Elaine, you won't believe this!  Now, we’ve been away from this place for only a few months, and I can only find seven appetizers on this menu that was on the old one. This is crazy, I don’t see my roasted turkey soup Elaine," Charles said, as he looked at his wife in disappointment. “I think this restaurant we used to call our second home is now under new management. You know, we’ve been coming here for over forty years, and now, they want to change the menu,” Charles said.

“Remember when we made our way back here from that German hell hole, and we decided to meet here for our first date, Charles? "Yes, but what does that have to do with them changing the menu, Elaine?" Charles  asked. I just feel some things need to stay the same,” Charles complained. “Oh Charles! I wanted to change the subject. Now you knew that this was going to eventually happen. Anyway, It’s their business, and they have their reasons. Look dear, don’t worry about the new food; it’s only a few items, we will jusst choose something we’re more familiar   with," Elaine replied with a smile.

“Hi, I’m your new waiter, your waitress became nervous about serving you, because from what I gather, is that she made you a little uncomfortable?" The tall, handsome waiter asked. "Yes, she did, now are you the manager? Oh, I'm really sorry...I remember you! Elaine, this is the really nice waiter I told you about six months ago. Now he's what a waiter should look like, without all that mess in his mouth. I did not see you the last time we were here," Charles said.

“Well, I took a little time off to travel to the U.S. but I back now to serve you once again, welcome back to Naples Garden,” the afible waiter said. "Tthank goodness she sent somebody else; she must have read my face Elaine. Let’s see, if I remember correctly...you're Ruben." Charles said. “Yes! That’s right!” The handsome waiter replied. “Ruben, this is my beautiful wife Elaine, but I don’t think you know my grandson, Steven?” Charles asked. “Oh yes! We’ve met. He comes in here quite often Mr. Austerlitz. He’s been in here several times with his friends.

Remember me Steven?”  the waiter asked as he looked down on Steven with an artficial smile. “Yeah, yeah,” Steven said smiling, as he held his head down to stare at the stained carpet beneath him, hoping that the waiter would not tell his grandparents that he and his friends had left the restaurant several times without paying. "Well, I’ll have my usual "Roasted eggplant and fried onion salad." What’s your "Soup of the Day?" Charles asked. “Um…Its Cream of Shrimp and Calamari, garnished with red pepper and parsley,” the waiter explained. “Oh that’s new? Now that sounds delicious. I’ll have that young man?" The elder Austerlitz asked the amicable waiter.

 The tall handsome waiter completed Charles's order then he slowly walked over to Elaine while writing down her husband's order. “Mrs. Austerlitz, have you selected your appetizer or would you like me to suggest one of my favorites?" The young waiter asked. "Sure, please do! Oh! Before you tell me, I want you to know that today is my grandson’s birthday; can you suggest something special for him?" Louise asked.

"I think I can do that. Now Mrs. Austerlitz, I have a warm and delicious "Cream of Mushroom or Chicken and Potato Soup" garnished with wheat crackers for your appetizer, a "Fettuccini and Lamb, garnished with garlic, basil and mushroom tomato sauce for your entre," the waiter described with a generous smile. "Oooo! That sounds so delicious, I’ll have the first appetizer and the new entre," Elaine replied.

“For you Steven, I have the "Boccancini Roasted Chicken and Lamb Salad, garnished with roasted peppers and olives. What type of dressing would you prefer?" asked the waiter. “Well, not this time, although it’s one of my favorites, I would prefer something different this time," Steven answered. "Oh, you mean something for free this time?” the waiter said, secretly referring to Steven’s previous visits and theft-of-service.

“Free! What do you mean free, Ruben?" Charles asked with a stern look. Look here Ruben, I like you, but I worked hard for my family, and nobody here has ever given us anything for free, and my grandson knows better than to accept anything for free or to steal,” Charles said as he looked directly at Ruben with a firm face, while Steven was shaking his head to get Ruben to keep quiet about his mischevious behavoir.

Ruben took a step to the right and turned to look at Steven, "Now Steven, if you promise not to give me a big headache the next time you return with your confused friends, I’ll have the cook prepare a goblin of banana pudding ice cream, topped with whipped cream and garnished with crumbled vanilla wafers. It’s a new item on the menu.  I also have a mouthwatering "Chicken Lasagna covered in a white wine sauce, garnished with seasoned breadcrumbs. Now do we have a deal?  The tall, lanky waiter asked. “Oh yes! It’s a deal,” Steven replied. Steven knew now, that he had to keep his promise to the waiter, for fear he would tell his grandparents about his habit of stealing food.