Ronald's diner

chapter 6

I.

Bonnie was cold, hungry, and tired, but at least she wasn't wet. Thank goodness for small favors, she thought as she continued to trudge through the streets of Lowerton. The weather man had been right, and the cold rain he had predicted to last all day and through the night was continuing to soak the city. Despite being dry and having an umbrella, Bonnie knew that she still needed to find a warm place to stay the night so she could think about what she wanted to do next. After storming out of the diner, Bonnie had walked around for hours as her mind went over and over what had happened. She had thought that maybe she had found a friend, granted in a most unlikely place, but a friend none the less that seemed to care about her. At least that's what she thought based on the way Ronald had acted like a gentleman around her, being someone she could lean on for support, and when he had purchased those new and badly needed (if not completely stylish) clothes for her. Bonnie shuddered slightly at the thought that she was leaving behind her first new clothing she had received in months. But there was no way she was going to go back to Ronald's place and ask, or worse yet, to beg for them. What was done was done, and she was going to have to try to make it on her own again.

Walking a few more wet blocks in the growing darkness of the coming evening, Bonnie found herself in front of a small homeless shelter. She had stayed at this shelter a time or two in the paste and knew the accommodations were pretty Spartan, a cot and a wool blanket, and receiving a meal there was pretty hit or miss. But they didn't ask too many questions as to why you were there, and it was a safe place to spend the night. A small part of Bonnie's mind acknowledged that she would miss sleeping in Ronald's nice warm bed as she approached the receptionist who served as gatekeeper for the facility.

"Hi, I need a place to stay for the night."

Putting down her magazine, the older woman looked at Bonnie with a stern gaze as if she was trying to determine if the brunette was suitable to let in to the place or if Bonnie was just so much riff raff that was to be avoided. Bonnie figured she must have passed the test when the woman's gaze softened, and a small smile came to her lightly wrinkled face. "Certainly dear. You're in luck. We have one spot left. I guess the rain's driving people to seek shelter tonight."

"Yeah, I would imagine so." Bonnie replied.

"Well, follow me dear, and we'll get you set up for the night." Stepping out from behind her desk, the woman turned a dead bolt and opened a door to allow Bonnie to enter the shelter. "By the way, my name is Margret. Have you had anything to eat today?"

"I had breakfast this morning, but that was it."

"Oh, well, we have a couple of snack size bags of trail mix and pretzels left. It's not much but better than nothing."

"I'm not picky, I'm glad for anything I can get." Bonnie answered.

After being shown to her cot and handed a wool blanket and bag of trail mix and pretzels, Bonnie began to settle in for the night. Staring at the two snack bags in her hands, she contemplated whether to eat one now or to save it for later. Since she had not eaten anything since breakfast, Bonnie was pretty hungry by now, but she also knew that she didn't know when or from where her next meal might come. Deciding to step outside for some fresh air as she attempted to decide what to do next with her life; Bonnie stuffed the small bags of food in to her pockets, after all in a place like this things like food often had a habit of disappearing if left unattended, grabbed her umbrella and made her way to the front door.

"Margret, I would like to step out for a minute for some fresh air." Bonnie informed the kindly older woman serving as the shelters gate keeper.

"Ok, but be careful around that guy out there," Margret said as she pointed to a man who was leaning against the wall of the building. "His name is Tommy, and he likes to hang out here and try to pick up girls. I guess he figures if they're desperate, then their easier to pick up. We've tried to chase him off several times, but legally, there really isn't anything we can do as long as he doesn't bother anyone."