Ronald's diner

chapter 11

I.

The early model 2001 sedan made its way down the highway from Middleton General Hospital towards the suburbs of Middleton. Both of the car's passengers were busy staring out separate windows, Anne was staring out the front widow as drove, and Ronald lost in his own thoughts as he stared out the passenger side window. Ronald was so lost in his thoughts that it took Anne calling his name three time before she was able to get his attention.

"Oh sorry, I was sort of lost in my thoughts there." Ronald grinned sheepishly.

"That's ok Ronald, I understand. It does sound like you have a lot going on in your life at the moment."

Ronald just nodded his head in agreement before turning to look out the window again.

Anne let the young man stare out the window a moment before she spoke again, "Ronald, do you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Um sure."

"Back at the hospital you said that your girlfriend's name was Bonnie. The only Bonnie I know of is Bonnie Rockwaller who was on the cheer team with you and Kim and a general snooty pain in the butt."

"And you're asking me if she's the same Bonnie?"

Anne nodded her head.

"She is Bonnie Rockwaller who was on the cheerteam with Kim and I. But she's not the same snooty pain in the butt Bonnie."

A look of being unconvinced crossed Anne's face but went unnoticed by Ronald who had turned his attention back to looking out the window.

"You're worried about her aren't you?" Anne asked.

Ronald simply nodded his head.

"I'm sure Bonnie will be fine. She's receiving excellent care at the hospital." Anne reassured the young man. "Ronald, do you mind if I ask how you ran in to Bonnie and what she's like now? You mentioned that she's not the same pain in the butt girl from high school."

Ronald gave Anne a quizzical look as if he either didn't know why he was being asked that question, or if he was unsure how to answer it.

"You don't have to answer that if you don't want to, but I was curious how you found her. A few months ago Kim was trying to organize a get together for the old cheer squad. She was able to either get in contact with or find an address for everyone except for Bonnie, and it wasn't for lack of trying. That and for the life of me I can't ever imagine Bonnie being your girlfriend."

"Actually she found me." Ronald answered, "She appeared on the doorstep of my diner one day looking for a meal. Apparently she had been living on the streets then and was in need of a decent meal." Ronald then stopped and a look of contemplation crossed his face, "Umm, Anne, can I strike that from the record? That's a part of Bonnie's life that she's not proud of and probably wouldn't want too many people to know about."

Anne smiled softly before answering, "Don't worry Ronald, anything you say in here will be considered strictly doctor patient privilege."

"Oh, ok then. Well short version is that Bonnie had been living on the streets and came to my diner for a decent meal. I ended up taking her in and helping her to get back on her feet and she began helping me at the diner. I guess we just sort of grew on each other."

"Well I'm happy that she's making you happy, although I will admit that she's not the first person that would have come to mind if I knew you had a girl friend."

"That makes two of us." Ronald said with a slight grin that only lasted a few seconds as he turned to face out the window again.

"You're curious about Kim aren't you?"