Chapter Fifteen
Salzy and Jamie worked until almost ten o’clock.
Jamie was right about Salzy; he had good suggestions and had a keen sense of how things worked.
Jamie was positive that had it not been for his input, it would have taken him a few days to get a list together that was as coherent as what he was looking at.
They ordered some dinner from the diner, and Jamie had gone to get it. When he did, Flo cornered him. “A little birdie told me you and Sal were up there drinking beer in the middle of the day. Is that any way for a businessman to act?” She smiled and snapped her gum.
“You snap that gum on the dining room floor and I’ll fire you,” was Jamie’s response as he picked up the foil-wrapped plates from the service window.
Florence laughed. “Honey, you can’t fire me!” She reached into the warming box where the bread was kept. “I’m like an old plumbing fixture around here. Too old to find a replacement for, and it would cost too much to put a new one in.”
“You just keep thinking that woman.”
“What are the two of you doing up there anyways?” She asked, holding the basket of biscuits and corn bread, her hand on the swinging door into the dining room.
“That’s some more of your business.” Jamie smiled at her and Walter. “Thanks for dinner, Walter. I’ll bring the plates down later.”
Walter waved a spatula at him, his attention focused on the burgers on the flattop grill.
When he and Salzy called it a night, they had almost finished off the beer, the bottles clinking together in a box Jamie had found out by the dumpster.
“When are you going to tell everyone?” Salzy asked, standing, stretching his hands over his head, revealing that tantalizing tummy of his.
Jamie closed his laptop. “Tomorrow night at the meeting.” He yawned. “I need to find time to go and pack up my apartment in Atlanta, too. I need my printer.”
“Depending on my schedule, I can help with your moving,” Salzy said.
“Thanks. I’ll probably take you up on that. I don’t have a lot, and most of it can just go to God.”
Salzy laughed. “I can say pretty much the same thing.” He scratched his head as he looked out of the door of the Puckett’s apartment towards his own. “I think I may change that. Put down some roots.” He looked at Jamie. “I think this is going to be my permanent home.”
Jamie nodded. “I’m glad. I also think we make a pretty good team.”
“That’s ’cause we’re brothers.” Salzy wrapped him in a big hug, lifting him up off his feet.
* * * * *
Jamie’s alarm clock went off at five a.m. He flopped his hand onto the old clock, turning it off. Groggily, he stumbled out of bed, moaning as he stretched his back. He turned at looked at the bed. “You are outta here!”
After he was dressed for the day, he went into the kitchen of the diner, turning on the lights. He turned on his oven and started making the day’s biscuits. He didn’t make as much as he usually would since they wouldn’t be doing a dinner service, same with the corn bread.
“Morning, Jamie,” Walter said as he came in, Timmy right behind him.
“Mornin’, bo-boss.”
“If’n I told you once, I’ve told you a million times, I ain’t dying my hair!” Hazel said, frustration clear in her voice.
“I’m just sayin’,” Flo said, right on her heels.
“Mornin’, Jamie,” Hazel said. “Please do something with this woman.” She thumbed over her back at Florence.
“Morning, Jamie.” Florence looked at him, one eyebrow arched. “You don’t look too worse for wear, seeing as you spent all day yesterday drinking.”
Jamie rolled his eyes at her. “You just keep it up.” He’d stopped rolling out the biscuit dough.
“Mornin’ all,” Dexter said, all smiles as he came in. “Looks like another beautiful day.”
Minnie came scampering in, not saying anything, just nodding and a slight, shy smile for Jamie.
“Hey, Walter,” Jamie said across the kitchen. “How many covers you think we’ll have today?”
Walter glanced over at Jamie. “Well... I don’t think that it’ll be all that busy, since it’s a Thursday.
” He took his ball cap off and scratched his closely buzzed hair.
“Breakfast will be busier than lunch, so... all up, I’d say about sixty orders—people, or as you say, covers.
” He tried to grimace, but it failed. “Covers? That’s the big city talk showing on you. ”
The breakfast service went smoothly. At one point, Jamile looked out into the dining room.
Many of the people there Jamie knew on sight.
Many older men, sitting at the counter chewing the fat with Flo as she refilled coffee cups.
Hazel was speaking with a group of four older women, laughing.
Minnie was settling a check with a middle-aged couple.
Jamie stepped back into the kitchen. This is bad. Really bad. Where is everyone?
Walter, Timmy, and Dexter were already cleaning and prepping for lunch. “You have enough hamburger buns, Dex?”
Dexter looked into his bread box, just under his workstation. “Yeah, I think I’ll be fine. Plenty of bread, too.”
“Remember, Timmy, we only need those two pork chops for dinner,” Walter said.
“S-s-s-sure,” Timmy responded. “I rem-mem-mem-ber.”
“And make sure everything is good and clean when we’re done.” Walter glanced over his shoulder at Jamie. “Can’t have the boss comin’ into a dirty kitchen.”
“Pfft.” Jamie said, not even looking up. “I’ve cleaned this kitchen as many times as any of you have.”
Walter laughed. “True, very true.”
“What’s for dinner,” Dexter asked smiling. “This is sure’nuf is a treat.”
“It’s a surprise,” Jamie said smiling. “I think you’ll like it though.”
“I know it’s gonna be shrimp,” Florence said as she flounced into the kitchen. “I do like shrimp.”
“And you’re nothing but a nosy busybody.” Jamie looked at her, trying his best to scowl and failing.
Florence laughed. “And you love me anyway.” She stepped up to him. “What’s the dress code for this shindig?”
“Very casual. Comfortable.”
“Now that I can do,” Florence replied. “You need any help?”
“Nope. I want all the staff to have the night off.” Jamie looked at her, his hands covered in flour. “Salzy is going to help me out some.”
Florence squinted at him. She leaned in closer and whispered, “Is there something going on between you two?”
Jamie stopped, looking at her. “What? No! He’s straight.”
“That’s what I thought, but... you never know nowadays.”
“It’s too bad he’s straight because he’s easy on the eyes, but... it’s not to be.” Jamie went back to kneading his dough. “I’ve come to the conclusion that I’ll be forever single.”
“You never know, Jamie.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek. “Just when you least expect it, it’ll come and slap you silly.” She snapped her gum. “I just hope I’m there when it happens.” She smiled brightly, her bright red lipstick gleaming.
“Oh, lordy,” was Jamie’s only response. He looked at her. “Don’t you have any work to do? If not, I’m sure I can find some.”
Florence laughed. “Yes, sir, boss. I’ll just jump right on that.”
“Morning, all,” Salzy greeted everyone as he sauntered into the kitchen from the back door. “How is everyone this fine day?”
The staff in the kitchen, even Florence, greeted him, Florence looking a little closer than usual.
“Hey, you just now getting up?” Jamie asked, looking sideways at him.
“No. I’ve been trying to find a sander in that garage. Took me ages, and then I had to go and get sandpaper.” Salzy scowled. “The paper that was with that sander was so old it fell apart. We got to clean that garage out. I can’t find anything.”
Jamie nodded. “One thing at a time, one day at a time.”
“Think I can get something to eat?” Salzy asked, leaning against the stainless-steel table. “I’m starving.”
“Yeah, ask Walter to cook you up something.”
“What time do you want me in here to help?”
Jamie glanced over at the clock that hung between the walk-in refrigerator and the freezer.
“I’d say somewhere between four thirty and five o’clock.
That’ll give you time to get some progress done on those steps.
” Jamie got a stainless-steel bowl from the shelf under the table.
He sprayed some oil in it and placed his dough inside.
“Start on your steps first. Won’t be as noisy in here. ”
Salzy stood up straight and saluted. “Yes sir, Sir.”
Jamie rolled his eyes. “Go eat and leave me alone.”