As promised I met him at the corner of my block at 7am and Prince and I caught a cab uptown to the only diner in town that would serve wayward teens like us first thing in the morning. This diner looked like a hole in the wall joint you would find in any ghetto to upscale people on the outside but on the inside were what Andre's mama calls the blue collar black community. Everyone knew everyone here. The waitresses are always friendly and the patrons that frequented were always welcoming with open arms. They knew you and your family and if a tragedy like a death would happen everyone who came would fill the donation jar to the brim and the owner of the diner would hand deliver it himself to the family who needed it the most. Some white folks would pass through and get a quick meal before leaving and we'd never see them again. Most of them at least....but one. Mr. Miller who worked at a steel mill in Indiana came here every morning before his shift for a stack of pancakes, a cup of black coffee and a slice of Mrs Greta's home made peach cobbler. Prince and I had just happened to see him coming in as we sat down in the booth to look over our menus.
I watched as the waitress went to hand him his menu and he simply placed his hand up and placed his order. Mr. Miller smiled at her as she jotted down his usual and he was always happy to enjoy his meal and read the palate before heading off to work. Prince caught me staring off into space and waved his hand in front of my face.
"Yoo-hoo! Helloooo? Come back to earth Captain Kirk." I faintly heard him say.
I never responded I just kept watching. Mr. Miller looked so happy for it to only be 7am on a Saturday. Prince was still trying to get me to look his way.
"What are you looking at Regan? It's not polite to stare." Prince shot at me.
"He's back." I replied at last pointing over to the salt and pepper haired Caucasian man who happily flipped though his Minneapolis Tribune.
Prince turned to find Mr. Miller right where I described him.
"Oh yeah! He's the only one that comes back. He must have been black in another life or is married to a black woman." Prince joked.
"Stop it that is not funny." I hissed.
"What? How much you wanna bet that there's a reason why he comes here. And honey it ain't for the cobbler."
Prince slowing raised the menu to his face but only exposing those entrancing eyes. I shook my head and got up from the table.
"Where are you going?" He whispered before grabbing my arm to stop me.
"Just order my usual for me and I'll be right back." I said pushing his hand away.
As I made my way to Mr. Miller's table I could hear Prince coaxing me to come back but I didn't listen. There was something about this old man that made me want to know more about him. My curious thoughts only grew the closer I got to his table until I finally got there. He looked up from his paper and smiled at me. His blue eyes twinkled in the diners light.
"Well! Are you a pretty little thing!" He said to me.
"Hello Mr. Miller. It's nice to see you back." I replied.
He looked me up and down before folding his paper and sitting it beside him in the booth.
"I don't think I've seen you before. Are you a waitress?"
"No my friend and I come here all the time and my mom is friends with the owners wife."
"Ahh so you're Greta's godchild! Regan right? I've heard good things about you my dear. Care to join me for breakfast?"
I was a little hesitant but knowing my mom and Mrs Greta they probably told this man my whole life story and I didn't even know it.
"I didn't want to interrupt sir. It was just exciting to see how happy you always are first hand. My friend and I come here sometimes and I always see you so happy when you work at a hot steel mill across the river."
I turned to find Prince's quickly ducking down back into the booth so that we couldn't see him. Mr. Miller looked at him and then looked at me with that same smile.
"I see! Your friends with the kid with all the....hair. The one that wants to be a musician of some sort. I've seen him play a few times. He's got talent!"
I smiled and looked back at Prince who was still in hiding and then turned back to Mr. Miller.
"Yeah. He does doesn't he?" I asked.
"Well of course he does! He's got chops like his old man that's for sure. The Prince Nelson Trio was big when they came to Indiana. I'd never miss a show. That's how I met my girl." Mr. Miller said with a wink.
I smiled back at him and finally took him on his offer to have a seat with him while he waited for his breakfast. His coffee arrived first and he took two small sips before looking me over.
"So my dear. Why are you and you buddy out so early? Don't you kids believe in sleeping in or whatever it is you do these days?" He giggled.
"Well Prince had a gig later on tonight and he promised me breakfast if I helped him get ready."
"Hmmm. Interesting!"
I didn't understand what he meant by that and it made my brows furrow with confusion. Mr. Miller simply looked at me and with a swift grin on his face he said one simple sentence:
"You like him."
I was a little shocked to hear that from a not so unfamiliar stranger but it was odd that he would think that.
"Mr. Miller Prince and I are just friends and nothing more I swear." I giggled back to him nervously.
"You say that now because your denying how you really feel."
Once again the furrow of confusion covered my face.
"You see my dear. People go to places that they feel most comfortable with. They also keep people in their lives because they know that they are safe when they are with them. Does he make you feel like your safe?"
"Well.....yeah. But that's because we've been best friends since we were little. I don't think it's because I like him sir."
"You don't? Hmmmm! Could have fooled me."
"Mr. Miller your really jiving my brain right now!"
"My dear you're jiving your own brain if you think that you don't believe you feel something for that young man who you now have sitting all by his lonesome."
I looked back over and saw the back of Prince's head nodding up and down and before I could catch myself Mr. Miller belted out a deep chuckle from the back of his throat. I quickly turned my head to face him and was greeted with a smile.
"You have no idea what you feel inside for him do you?" He asked.
"He's just a friend sir honestly." I laughed.
"Then you better get back over to your.....friend. Enjoy your breakfast and see you two at the next show." He said with a wink as his pancakes and cobbler was served to him.
I quietly excused myself from the table and went back to my booth. Prince was still nodding and humming a new sound while scribbling lyrics down on paper. It was a turn on to watch him in his element. When he caught eyes it made my whole body hot for some reason. Maybe Mr. Miller was right? Maybe?
