My Friend Loki: Strange Magic

Chapter 7

Doctor Strange brought us to a diner that was a couple of blocks away from the Sanctum. It was in the vernacular what they call a "hole in the wall" and in his opinion, one of the best places to eat.

Our server approached us, and she seemed to recognize the Mystic Master.  Gazing at him with a warm smile, she said, "it's been a while since you've graced us with your presence." Briefly, she regarded both Loki and I with friendly curiosity, then turned back at Strange, "I see Wong's not with you?"

"No, not today."

Surreptitiously I glanced at the waitress' name tag, it said, 'Alice.'

Acknowledging with a nod, Alice then walked a few steps over to the hostess station. From a shelf inside, she pulled out three menus, then led us to our table.

 "What would you like to drink?" she asked. 

"Water."

"Coffee."

"Orange juice."

Giving us each a menu and cutlery, Alice then left to fill our drink orders.

Loki leaned his chin on his hand and stared at the menu. I wondered if he was actually seeing the menu or his mind was somewhere else.

I touched his arm and he turned to look at me.

"I'm fine," Loki said, then turned back to the menu.

"That's not what I was asking," I said to him. He turned his head again my way.

"Are you free on that evening?" I asked.

"You think we should crash the gala?" Loki said, with with a mischievous grin, "as a shapeshifter, I can..."

"You know, I can hear you," Doctor Strange said.

"I'm joking," Loki said to Strange, "I do tend to do that on occasion."

But I could hear it in Loki's voice that he was affected by Thor's news. Time to try and create a diversion by changing the subject.

"What's good here?" I asked Strange, opening up my menu.

"Well, my friend Wong likes the Eggs Benedict," Strange replied, "but so far, I haven't found a bad item on their menu."

"Hmm... " I thought, "the combo platter looks appetizing."

"Oh you don't want that," Strange said in a deadpan tone.

"Really? Would I change the space-time continuum in some way, if I did?" I asked, suddenly thinking about the written works of Douglas Adams. "Maybe it would be safer if you ordered for us?"

Loki closed his menu with an impish grin, "I'd like to see that - if you could pair us with a safe and balanced breakfast."

"What I said to Beverlee was merely in jest," Strange explained. "But if you like... challenge accepted."

We really didn't have much to lose from this, considering what Doctor Strange said about the menu along with his skills in the mystic arts.

Alice soon approached our table again, now with our beverages. She placed them on the table along with two straws, then pulled out a pad from a pocket of her waitress uniform.

"Are you ready to order?" she asked.

"Yes," Strange said. Without opening a menu, he rattled off our orders, "she'll have breakfast platter four with a bialy and cream cheese, he'll have breakfast platter three with banana pancakes, and I'll just have my usual."

Alice nodded with a smile, then picked up the menus from the table.

"Good choices!" she said and winked at Strange, "I'll be back with your orders shortly," then took her leave to the kitchen.