Out Of Time

Colter

The Okie Dokie Diner was packed by the time Samantha Burke showed up.  It was a modest joint with booths and a counter, resembling more of a soda fountain place than an actual diner.  She was late...again.  Her manager, a balding man in his late forties with a dirty apron and a beer gut noticed her walk in and he sneered at her.  "Sam, where the hell have you been?  You're twenty minutes late!" he shouted at her.

Sam cringed at his voice and made a sorrowful expression, feeling small at the amount of anger being thrown her way.  "I'm sorry, sir.  I have no excuse other than my alarm didn't wake me up."

The man huffed at her.  "Well, just don't let it happen again.  This is the  third time this week."

"Yessir," she said meekly before grabbing a notepad and pen.  "Where should I start?"

"Table 9 needs to order."

"Okay."  Sam quickly made her way over to a booth in the corner and took a deep breath.  It was full of a bunch of U of M college jacket boys, probably wanting breakfast before classes.  "Hi, my name is Sam.  I'll be your waitress this morning, what can I get ya?"

A blonde boy in a Minnesota Gophers jacket smiled up at her with bright green eyes.  "Helllloooo, beautiful," he said.  "What's a gorgeous thing like you doin' in a place like this?"

Sam eyed the boy and sighed.  While she was certainly not in the mood to get hit on, the compliment did lighten her spirits, although she'd never taken much stock in her looks.  She considered herself a Plain Jane.  Even so, she needed to remain professional.  "I'm working."

His friends, also in Minnesota Gopher jackets, started snickering at their friend, who looked a little perturbed.  "Ah, don't be like that, sweetheart," he said, trying his best to sound suave.

Which he was. Sam had a feeling a lot of girls had a hard time saying no to him on account of how attractive he was, but she was at least ten years older than him and therefore, she was not interested.  "The only thing I'm being like is a waitress.  Now what can I get you boys?"

The boy frowned and seemingly gave up on his come-ons.  "I'll have the steak and eggs, medium rare, and water."

Sam jotted his order down.  She looked at the other two who were doing their best to keep their composure.  "Um, the pancake platter with sunny side up eggs and a Coke," the one nearest to the window said.

"I'll have a coffee and the pancake platter too, eggs scrambled."

Sam scribbled the orders down.  "You two want bacon or sausage with that?"

"Bacon," they both said in unison.

Sam wrote that down too and smiled sweetly at them as she grabbed their menus.  "Okay, I'll be back with your drinks."

Sam walked away, but not before hearing hysterical laughter behind her.  She couldn't help but chuckle to herself.  At least she was amusing to someone.  She set the menus down, handed her boss the order, then went to the pop machine and filled a glass with ice and Coke.  She reached for another glass and put ice and water in it.  She grabbed a tray to put the drinks on and reached for a hot coffee container.  Sam gracefully made her way back through the crowd, raising the tray and twirling to avoid knocking into her waitress friend Tiffany. 

"Woa, be careful there," Tiffany said.  "Not that you need it, of course, Miss Ballerina."

Sam let out a cackle and made her way to the boy's table, handing out their drinks.  Once that was done, the woman made her way to other tables to take orders.  The day became a long one with the hustle and bustle of her mundane job, but after the rushes were done, she was finally allowed a break.  She went outside to have a smoke, leaning against the back of the building and lighting a cigarette from her Marlboros pack.  She inhaled the smoke and closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of it in her lungs before exhaling.