Jewel

Chapter 21

“Hi, I’m Meredith and I’ll be your server today.  Can I start you guys off with some drinks?” I use the nicest voice I can muster and pull out my pad of paper and a pen.  I basically have to scream over the music that is playing because it is always too loud in here.  I take the orders and skate back to the counter and clip the receipt to the clothes pin so that the order can be filled.  I lean my elbows on the counter to take a break for a minute.  My shift just started and I already want to go home. 

I work as a waitress at Ellen’s Stardust Diner for aspiring musicians/actors/etc.  The servers are supposed to perform at some point during each hour and the guests love it.  I never much liked to be the center of attention so I absolutely despise that part of my job.  I always get weird old men to compliment me on whatever I did up there and I get really uncomfortable.  

I guess the kind of fun part about this job is that servers wear roller skates.  I caught on a lot quicker because I still skateboard everywhere, but I still dropped a few trays in the beginning.  We also have decade days and once a week all the servers dress as some decade.  I always pick the 50s because of the poodle skirts.  It’s fun and easy.  

This job is simultaneously fun and stressful.  And I’ve only been here for two weeks.  

I live with Lauren again, but we don’t see each other much because our work schedules are so different.  I work all sorts of crazy hours and she has the typical 9-5 shift on most days plus her shows.  

So far, most have my shifts have either been opening or closing and it involves a lot of cleaning.  Certainly I am no stranger to a mop and broom, but it is really tedious having to get in all the grooves of the tile and the counters.  I actually use a tooth brush a lot of the time and it takes me forever.  

The people I work with are nice.  There are a lot of people younger than me and a lot of people older than me.  I’m like the only one in the middle.  I tend to gravitate more towards the older workers simply because they have more experience and are a lot less judgmental.  They all know I am not looking for a performing job and that sets most of them at ease.  At Ellen’s people perform to hopefully be scouted by some famous producer and then make millions.  Wishful thinking.  I’m only here for the summer until I can start my job back at Elite’s branch here.  

As the glasses slide down the bar, I load them onto my tray and hoist it over my shoulder and skate back to my table.  I take the food order and move on to the next table in my section start serving them.  

All shifts are pretty monotonous despite the atmosphere of the place, but it makes money so it’ll do.  

I am working the middle shift today for the second time since I’ve been here and I actually don’t care for it too much because it takes up a good chunk of the middle of the day, not that I have anything else to do, but still.

I am searching behind the bar for more napkins for one of my tables because it looks like the person who set up this morning missed that table.  “Excuse me?” a voice says.  I ignore it and keep looking for the napkins.   

I only find a little stack and stand up to put it on the tray.  “Umm hello?” the voice says again.  Startled, I spin around on my heel to find where the voice is coming from.  “You work here?”

I nod and wipe my hands on my lap apron.  

“Finally!  I’d like to order.”

“This isn’t my position, sorry.” I pick up my tray and attempt to skate away.    

“Come on, I’ve been waiting here for 10 minutes.  I just want a stinkin’ milkshake!” he throws his hands in the air, frustrated.

I bite the inside of my cheek and debate whether or not to make this guy a milkshake.  I haven’t exactly been trained in this part of the restaurant yet, but it can’t be too hard.  I set my tray down and walk over to the blender to try to figure it out.  It takes me some time, but I think the final product is edible.  I don’t really know how the usual people make them; I just kind of winged it.  

I plop a cherry on the top and slide it down the bar to the guest.  I hold my breath as he takes a sip.  His perfect face lights up, “Wow, this is really good!  Did you guys do something different to the milkshakes?”

“Like I said, this isn’t my position.” I smirk and skate away.  

He is probably the most gorgeous human I have ever seen.  Perfect defined cheekbones, deep brown eyes that stare into your soul, jet black hair that is quaffed at the top, and a smile that is contagious.  I glance back over my shoulder at the guy at the bar and almost run into another server.  I rush an apology and shake my head to rid myself of the image of the no-name-bar-guy.  

I continue working my shift and soon forget about my strange encounter.  I duck under the counter and skate into the back break room.  I remove my tips from my apron pocket and stuff them into my jeans pocket.  

“Mere, this is for you” my co-worker Janet hands me a five dollar bill.  I give her a quizzical look.  “It’s from the ‘milkshake man’?” she uses air quotes around milkshake man.  

A knowing smile creeps across my face as I take the money and stuff it in my pocket too.  “Thanks.”

“Who is milkshake man anyways?” she askes.

I shrug, “Just some guy I had to make a milkshake for earlier.”

“You don’t make milkshakes.”

“I know.” I smirk and sling my bag over my shoulder and grab my skateboard.  “See ya tomorrow, Janet.” I swipe my employee card in the machine and head out for the day.  As soon as I am outside I drop my board and hop on to go back to the apartment.  I pick up Chinese food for dinner on my way home and call Lauren to see if she wants anything.  Balancing the food and my bags on my board is not the easiest thing I’ve ever done, but I manage. I climb the five flights of stairs to our room by myself and struggle to open the door.  I drop all my things at the door and plop myself on the couch with my food an wait for Lauren to get home.  

Blake texts me to say hi and see how I’m doing.  I debate not answering him right now.  It’s been really hard on both of us since I moved to New York so I had to break up with him.  He didn’t take it too well and I cried so hard too, but I had to do it.  It’s not that I didn’t trust him, it’s that I barely saw him when I lived in L.A. and I will see him even less here so it really made no sense to be dating if you can’t go on dates.  

He has texted or called me everyday since then, but I couldn’t even talk to him for the first several days because I would burst into tears just at the sound of his voice.  Now I’m a bit better, but it still hurts.  

I have half a bite of noodles in my mouth and am looking at the message again when Lauren walks in.  “Hey, loser” she greets and drops her purse on the floor. 

“Hey” I click off my phone and drop it on the couch.

Something in my voice must have given away who was on my phone because as she is slipping off her heels she asks, “Is it that river kid again?”

“It’s Blake, Lauren.” I say in a monotonous voice.

“I know, I was just trying to make you smile.” She sits down next to me and reaches for her box of Chinese food. 

When she sits back, I lean on her shoulder and keep stuffing noodles in my mouth.  “Should I answer him?” I ask.

“What did he say?”

“He was just asking how I am doing.”

Lauren shrugs, “I wouldn’t if you’re not feeling up to it.  You can deal with it another day.”

I sigh and keep eating.  She changes the channel a few times but there isn’t really anything good on so we just settle for a rerun of Big Bang Theory.  

When I finish eating I get up and throw away my container.  “I’m gonna go take a shower.”

“Rough day at work today?” she asks.

“Well…” I giggle and jump over the back of the couch again.

“Oooh, Meredith!” she nudges me.  I proceed to tell her about my day and extra tips and she roots for me the whole time.   I’m really glad I have her as a friend.  We get on really well together and she has become my first female best friend.  I can't wait until I can work at the firm again with her.