Deli Witch

To The Deli

As Spencer walks through the front door of Gatz's Deli a dozen different delectable aromas caress his nostrils. With each step the mix of aromas seems to change. Two dozen or so small tables fill the main area with a long counter near the right-hand wall. Glass panels along the top of the counter allow him to see dozens of meats, cheeses, and other mouth-watering items. Several men work rapidly behind the counter preparing food. Though the lunch time crowd is just starting to arrive the men are already busy. Several more people walk along behind the counter carrying plates and bowls. Hand-drawn menu items and cartoon images cover a large chalkboard on the wall behind the counter.

"So many items, so little time," he thinks.

His eyes are drawn to a chili dog cartoon. Below the drawing he sees 'with real home-made chili' scrawled in red chalk. He decides to see how this compares with last Friday's meal with Cassandra. He walks up to the 'Order Here' sign and smiles at the cashier, a plump woman in her early fifties. She smiles pleasantly as she takes his order. He glances at her name tag. Once he pays he asks, "Uh, Kimberly, is Cassandra here?"

"Cassandra who?"

Spencer realizes he doesn't know her last name. "Uh, I'm not sure, she's...."

Kimberly laughs. "Ha, I'm just pulling your leg. We only have the one Cassandra here. The one who used to be a guy."

Spencer's eyes open wide. Kimberly laughs at Spencer's reaction.

"Still pulling your leg." She turns around and yells, "Hey Cassie, you back there?"

A faint but familiar voice responds, "Yes, what do you need?"

"Nuthin'. Some guy out here's asking for you."

Spencer stands there, slightly embarrassed. Cassandra walks out of the back room. She looks at Kimberly, who points at Spencer. She sees Spencer and gives him a smile.

"Oh, hi, Spencer. Nice to see you again."

Kimberly asks, "so, you know this guy?"

"Yes, mother." To Spencer she says, "you have to excuse Kimberly, she's a little overprotective."

"I have to be," Kimberly says. "You know how guys are, always wanting something."

"And what would that be?" Cassandra sweetly asks.

Kimberly pauses as she thinks. "Hmmm, I'm not sure, it's been so long."

She laughs loudly and gives Cassandra a gentle shove. Cassandra and Spencer laugh with her.

Spencer says, "I thought I would give you guys a try. Going for the chilidog today."

"Oh, I see. You going to see how it compares to our special place?" Cassandra laughs. Kimberly hears that and gets a curious look on her face.

"Uh, yeah. If you can call a hot dog cart special."

Cassandra steps out from behind the counter and moves to the front to stand next to Spencer. They move past Kimberly to wait for his order.

Spencer speaks quietly, "how are you doing? Feeling better?"

"Yes, actually I am. I thought about what you said."

Cassandra pauses. Since she does not say anything, Spencer asks, "and?"

"Oh. Maybe this is how it was meant to be. I don't know if working here is my destiny, but it might be one step toward it."

"And are you good with that?"

"Sure, uh, I think so."

The man behind the counter hands a tray with the chili dog and sides to Spencer. He takes it and looks for a seat. Cassandra points to a table back in the corner. As they walk toward it she takes the cup from the tray, "What do you want to drink?"

"Oh, iced tea would be great, not a lot of ice though."

Spencer reaches the table and sits. Looking up he sees Cassandra walking toward him, cup in one hand, paper napkins and plastic silverware in the other. He thinks, "Wow, she's very pretty when she's not crying. I wonder if she would like to – oh why bother. I don't think I can deal with that again."

She hands him the cup, napkins, and silverware before she sits. He looks at her for a few moments.

"Well," she asks. "What are you waiting for?"

"What?" For a moment he thinks she must be reading his mind.

"The hot dog." She points to it. "After all, that's why you came here, isn't it?"

"Oh, yeah, sure." He picks it up and takes a bite.

He chews for a bit then swallows. He smiles. "That really is good. The hot dog is great, and that chili tastes like it came straight from Texas."

Cassandra gives a little laugh. "Almost. The original recipe was from a friend of the owner. He had won a cook-off in some place in Texas called, um, TerLINger, TerlinGUAH, something like that."

He smiles. "Wherever it came from it is pretty good. Spicy, a little heat, but not too much." He shakes his head. "This gives me another reason for coming here."

"Oh really?" she laughs. "What was the other reason?" She looks intently at him.

He opens his mouth to answer but before he can say anything his cellphone rings. He drops his head and sighs.

"Oh cr–. Sorry. We've been having some issues and I need to answer this."

He pulls the phone out and answers. As he listens, he shakes his head. He just says "okay" and hangs up. "I have to go back, now."

The moment gone, as is his courage, he wolfs down the rest of his meal and reluctantly gets up. "Maybe they'll let me have a longer lunch tomorrow?"

"I hope so," Cassandra smiles.

As Spencer leaves Cassandra walks behind the counter and stands next to the cashier.

Kimberly asks, "so, what's with that guy? Haven't seen him here before."

"We met in the park last Friday."

Kimberly gives a little tsk tsk. "Oh really?"

Cassandra gives her a look. "We just talked. That's all."

"Yeah, right." Kimberly gives Cassandra a gentle nudge with her elbow. "I may suck at relationships, but I can tell when a man is interested."

"Don't be silly. We just met yesterday. Besides, I'm just a nobody."

With that Cassandra walks into the kitchen.

Kimberly shakes her head as Cassandra walks away. Quietly she says, "Oh girl, you have no idea."