My Kind Of Perfection(EDITING)

3. Job Searching

"Here? Are you joking?" I stare up at this tiny building with a crooked, faded 'Joanie's Bar and grill' sign on it.

Dakota stares up at it and shrugs. "I researched it, I promise. It has a nice website, and we have the experience."

"I don't know if the experience of waitressing at a steakhouse is gonna translate the same. Maybe we should find something closer to home anyway?"

"This is close to our new home."

"Yeah, but we're half an hour out of our area! I don't even know what the 'new home' looks like. And why can't we look at it today? Oh! Let me tell you. This guy has to kick his crazy ex out of this place! What do we do if it's trashed?" I add, just thinking about it makes me annoyed.

"Kasei, you're spiraling." Dakota pats my shoulder. "Just take it easy! We will visit the other couple places on the list, and we can look at other jobs that are here if it doesn't work out." She's always so easy going, and as much as I wish I could be too, I don't get it.

"Can I ask you why we want to be 30 minutes away from our family and friends?"

Dakota laughs. "We don't like our family, and our friends are all going to school in september. Everyone knows you don't stay close with your high school friends."

"Okay, fair enough but what about your boyfriend?" She's been with him for years, much luckier with love than me.

She looks uncomfortably at the ground before looking back at me. "Um... I didn't tell you this earlier, but Kevin just got his acceptance letter to UCLA."

"Oh...I'm sorry girl...I didn't know. So you don't think long distance is gonna work for you two?" I offer.

"Ugh, no I don't think it's worth it. It's not like we were really serious or anything..." She clears her throat. "Anyway. This job. We shouldn't judge a book by its cover...right? We can grab lunch before we ask about the job, if you hate it we can leave."

"Yeah, I guess."

We step inside and instantly get greeted with a friendly, clean atmosphere. Despite being smack dab in the middle of the city, it gives off small-town diner vibes with the vintage bar stools, checker flooring and pictures hung on the walls. 

Dakota sniffs loudly. "Smells good in here."

I roll my eyes, trying not to admit she's right. "It smells like barbeque and margaritas."

She elbows me. "I know you like it..."

"I haven't tried the food yet. Fine. The inside is fine, okay?" I mutter. We walk up to the empty hostess stand that reads: 'once you step inside, you're a regular here.'

"Do they get that few customers?" I remark to her.

Dakota swats me "Oh, stop it. I think it means once you come here once, you can't help but come back."

"That's exactly it." A short, familiar looking, curvy blonde steps up to the hostess stand. "We're always swamped here." She laughs politely. "I'm Erin. Just the two of you?"

"Yeah. So is there actually a Joanie here?" I ask, following as she leads us to a table.

Erin laughs again as she spreads the two menus over the table on a corner booth. "Two. My grandmother is the first Joanie, the one that made this place 50 years ago and named it Joanie's, then when she retired, she gave the place to my Mom, who's also Joanie. When mom retires, it's probably going to me. I can't imagine her selling it to anyone else." She looks around our age, but already is thinking of owning the family diner, impressive.