Ataraxia

Unknowing

My alarm clock beeps and beeps until I silence it wit a few slaps of my hand. I groan and retract my hand back under the covers. If I weren't struggling with money, I would say, "It's okay, Leslie. You can miss one day of work. Go back to sleep!" However, that's not the case. I get out of bed, wander into the bathroom, and carefully slip into the shower. Being cautious to not fall to my death, I always move as little as I can in the shower. Even though I'm sure it's terrible for my hair and skin, I turn on the water to be hot enough to be Satan's urine. It helps kill all the germs that I'm sure accumulated on me over the night. After getting out of the shower, I take my little blue pill and get dressed in my diner outfit. As I make my way into my kitchen, a loud boom rocks my apartment building, sending shivers rushing down my spine. My eyes involuntarily shut as I prepare to get squished by my upstairs neighbor. A few seconds pass and I trust that I'm not going to die just yet. Rain suddenly bombards the ground. I take a deep breath and slowly let it out. "You're going to be okay," I tell myself. Even though I'm not sure I believe it. Suddenly, my phone rings. Before picking it up, I grab a sanitary napkin and wipe it down. "Hello?" I say as I get out pretzels from my cabinet. "Hello, honey! How are you doing?" My mother's voice questions. Before I have time to answer she asks about ten different questions. "Fine, mom. No, mom. Yes- no, not today. I can't. Yes, mom." I utter as I get out the cream cheese I bought yesterday and dip a pretzel inside. Mom rattles on about something she seen on the news about the city I live in and asks if I'm okay. But, of course, she gives me no time to answer. She questions how my job is and when I'm coming to visit her. "Soon, mom." I reassure her before stuffing more pretzels and cream cheese in my mouth. She tells me about a girl that I graduated with that's now pregnant, married, and moving to Fiji. "Thanks, mom. That's exactly what I wanted to hear," I think to myself. Finally, we say our goodbyes and I promise to call her tomorrow. Quickly, I put all the food back where it belongs, grab my red jacket, and hurry out the front door. I jog down the road and then down an alleyway. I take a left after getting out of the alleyway and run into Rusty Red's diner. My coworker, William, greets me with a cheesy smile. He takes my soaked jacket and hangs it on my hook before handing me a cup of coffee just the way I like it. Two sugars, creamer, and some whip cream on top. As I take a sip, I run my finger over the engraving of my name on the mug. "Don't think today will be too busy," William jokes, nodding out to the rain as it picks up speed. I chuckle at his remark as I put on my red apron. Randy, the cook, comes around the corner and scares me half to death as he yells at us to get to work. William snaps his fingers and gives him a thumbs up before winking at me and leaving the room. I take a quick drink of my coffee before following after him. Randy waves me over to him as he takes off his cobbler stained apron. "Take this to the lady at table six," Randy instructs, brushing his hair down with his hands, "I have a meeting to attend very quickly. Just give this to her and then leave her alone." Randy hands me a plate with two slices of bacon, eggs, and a biscuit and a glass of water. I happily take them and look at the woman at table six. She takes off her jacket revealing damp hair and a tattoo on her right arm. I set her plate down in front of her with a smile and apologize for the delay. With smile and nod, she uneasily gets a fork and gets ready to eat her eggs. Seven uncomfortable seconds pass as I wait for her to move, but she doesn't. She just freezes and stares at her food. Suddenly, I hear Randy shout my name from the kitchen window. I open my mouth to say something to the girl but her teeth are clenched and her eyes glued onto her eggs. Nervously, I leave the poor girl and enter the kitchen with Randy. "I told you to leave the poor girl alone, Leslie! Her payment will be left under her plate. Wait until after she leaves to get it, got it?" Randy orders as he rushes out the door. I stand in the middle of the kitchen with Mr. Sharon, the cook that doesn't speak. William enters with dirty plates and silverware piled high in his arms. He plops them into the sink and smiles at the new girl, Jenny. "Randy stuck you with Lady Six?" William asks, wiping his hands on a towel. A piece of his brown hair falls right above his eye and he blows it away. My heart sputters and I nod my head with a giggle. He smiles and says, "She has an anxiety disorder. She's been coming here for the past five months straight, everyday. Arrives at seven, orders the same food, leaves at the same time, everyday," William explains, grabbing a couple plates of food. "Randy usually places her in the back so she doesn't have to be around people, but apparently he forgot today and didn't reserve it for her." He walks out with the food and services it to a couple gentlemen at the counter. A nice couple sits at one of my tables before I have a chance to talk to William again.