Glitter Years

Eight O'Clock at the Oasis

Anna was working a weekend morning shift at Luke. "Find the yellow ball." A frantic mother demands.

The father searched through a diaper bag. "Yellow ball, yellow ball, yellow ball. . .ah, yellow duck." He pulled out a rubber duck when he saw his wife's unimpressed face he went back to looking. "Yellow ball, yellow ball, yellow ball."

Anna went over to the counter to complain with Luke. "We need to make a new rule that people have to order within the first hour of being here. We can put it up next to the no cellphone sign... Hello Mom, Rory" She greeted her family that was sitting at the counter.

"We should." Luke glares at the group.

"You're down on the family too." Lorelai gasps.

"For six months they have been stealing money from us." Anna crosses her arms.

"What?" Rory's eyes went wide.

"They are taking up space and time which is money. For hours, they are a loud nuisance, running all over the place. Disturbs everyone. The two ice tea and a dollar tip are not enough." Without realizing it she was doing a perfect imitation of Luke with her arms crossed and glare.

"You hanging around Luke too much." Lorelai's comment made Luke let out an offensive grunt.

"I've got Choo-Choo Joe." The father gave it to the baby.

"Big deal, he's not going to work." Anna scoffs.

"I know, idiots should buy another yellow ball." Luke nods.

Rory and Lorelai watch as the baby cried as he throw the train. "Get the Bongo Bear. Get the Bongo Bear." She pointed at the door. He ran to the car to try to find the bear.

"How'd you know that?" Rory turned to them in amazement.

"Because Joe has not been working for the last six months. I don't think he's broken, I think he killed himself to get away from that family." Luke told them.

"Same thing, every time. Do you know how many people come in, see them, and walk out? This morning it was Mrs. Cassini, and she's a big tipper. I'm never going to be able to buy a car." She whines.

"Oh, now that kid's a major drooler." Lorelai looks at the baby and the mother's wet shirt.

"Yeah, it's like a fountain." Rory grimaced.

"When it gets everywhere they don't clean it up." Anna hated this family.

"Okay, that's it, they have to go." Luke went around the counter.

"Luke, come on, it's just spitting. Pretend you're at a baseball game." Lorelai tried to stop him.

"No no no, I've had enough. Let them go not spend money at Al's, I'm through." He starts to walk toward the people when the mother stands up and starts unbuttoning her shirt. Luke walks back to them. "Is that woman doing what I think she's doing?"

The woman has started nursing her baby. "Um, well, I can't be a hundred percent sure, but. . .oh yeah, that's lunch." Lorelai looks for him.

"Why, why do they do this? This is a public place, people are eating here." Luke couldn't believe the nerve of these people.

"They sure are." Rory laughed.

"This is honestly the least annoying thing they have done. I mean at least one of the babies is quiet now." Anna's ears were relieved that it wasn't a symphony of baby screams anymore.

"This cannot be sanitary." Luke couldn't look.

"I agree. You don't know where that thing's been." Lorelai made her daughters snicker.