Sympathy For the Devil

6

Food is the best distraction in my opinion. It's also a great segue into not talking territory with minor small talk in between bites.

    Lindy's diner is a quaint hidden gem buried deep in the crevices of Brooklyn. Only New York City natives are aware of the diner, most tourists get stuck in the most known establishments in the lively city rather than going to local businesses, such as, Keens Steakhouse, Antonio's, or even the Hard Rock Café. Most people venture to New York with the hopes of bumping into a Broadway star and the chances of doing that here in this diner are slim. If people really wanted to meet a Broadway star, they have a better chance of succeeding at the Broadway stage doors where the stars and celebrities want to actually meet and mingle with fans.

    The diner is set up in red and white checkers. It's in need of a few touch ups and modifications. My parents even said how this place never changes, not even from when they were teenagers coming here. The booths upholstery is peeling back to reveal the interior stuffing and padding.

Lindy, who is now in her late 80's, shuffled around refilling customer's held out cream white coffee mugs. Her silvery haired bun was tucked neatly back with a pen behind her ears to take people's orders with.

Before mom passed, I would work here after school to help out around the kitchen and with serving. Lindy is struggling to manage since she doesn't have anybody in her family to carry on the family business. I don't know how she manages anymore. It's only her, her husband Raymond, and the cook, Greg. It's not enough to manage these long hours, especially since Lindy and Ray aren't in their prime anymore. They're getting worn down.

I felt guilty over putting in my resignation, but they understood my reasoning and even brought over fresh produce and burgers for us when we were struggling at the beginning of losing my mother. We had to deal with the funeral and legal documents during the first month of losing her. It all became jarring.

    I scanned through the menu to avoid making eye contact with Bennett even though I know this menu like the back of my hand.

    I settled on ordering a burger with French fries on the side and extra pickle chips, because pickles are life, with a glass of sweet tea on the side. I have never been so absorbed in a meal in my life, you would think I hadn't eaten in days. It was either that or I would be forced to meet Bennett's stare as he tried to come up with light conversational topics.

We are never alone outside of school. I'm not even sure what we have in common since we never talk much beyond simple hellos and goodbyes in passing. And people change a lot from when they are twelve, which is the last time we hung out as a group with Li, Sam, and Killian.

    "Perfect timing." Killian scooted into the booth beside me. He was wearing a black t-shirt that said in white lettering: This is my human costume with a green alien beneath the text. 

It's been so long since he went to school with us that I absentmindedly forgot that he and Bennett were still best friends since our group fell to shambles soon after my twelfth birthday party. Were being the operative word. Their stare off is telling me all I need to know on where these two stand with each other.

    "What are you doing here?" Bennett stared coldly in Killian's direction as he shoved his turkey sandwich forward, losing his appetite. If looks could Kill, Killian would be dead by now.

Killian took his sweet time to respond as he stole a fry that was coated in salt and grease from me. Tossing it back and forth between his fingers rather than eating it. "I thought I'd save this one from dating you and vice versa." Killian poked me in the side as I elbowed him back not so softly.

    "We're not dating." I said in between bites of burger. The burger became increasingly more difficult to swallow. I was sure it had to do with the company beside me considering it was by far the juiciest Lindylicious I've ever had before. I convinced Lindy to change their most popular burger name to the Lindylicious when I was thirteen and she printed out new menus and everything and gave me her stamp of approval. Now, every time I order it, it makes me cringe in a wave of embarrassment.