Chapter Thirty
Jamie slept fitfully and still felt tired when he got up. I need a day off. I just need a day in bed. He pulled on his jeans and looked for a T-shirt. He could hear Joesph stirring around in the kitchen.
“Why is there not a coffee maker?” Joesph all but growled at Jamie when he walked in.
“Because we always went down to the diner.” Jamie rubbed the heels of his hands against his eyes. “I’ll go down and make some.”
Joesph sighed heavily. “Okay. Hurry your white butt up. I need my morning coffee before I can function.”
“Racist,” Jamie called over his shoulder as he pushed the screen door open.
“Only before coffee,” Joesph replied, right behind Jamie. “What are you wearing?”
“Just an old T-shirt.”
“Okay, for one thing, it’s got a big hole in the back shoulder seam. For another, it’s so tight, I don’t see how you can breathe.”
“I know, I know.” Jamie entered the diner’s kitchen. “I didn’t bring many clothes with me and this,” he pulled at the T-shirt’s neckline, “is stuff I had when I lived here. And besides, all we’re doing is manual labour, so it doesn’t matter. It’ll go into the trash when I’m done.”
“How long ago was that?” Joesph stood as Jamie made coffee. “When you lived here, I mean.”
“Years,” was the answer. “I’ve been meaning to go and do some shopping, but I’ve not had a spare minute since I got here.”
Joesph pulled some mugs from the built-in shelves beside the drink station. “Maybe you can go this afternoon. I don’t think I’ll need you after we get that counter out.”
Jamie poured them both some coffee. “I could use some downtime. I may do it, if you don’t need me.”
“I don’t think so.” Joesph looked over the rim of his mug. “You look like shit.”
“Thanks.” Jamie breathed in the dark roast coffee. “I feel like I’ve been hit by a Mack truck.”
“Morning.” Salzy came in. “May I have some of that coffee, please?”
Joesph got another mug and poured some into it. “Here you go, sweetness.”
Salzy grinned. “Aww. You love me.”
Jamie rolled his eyes. “How long before the people come to get the tables and chairs?”
“They said they’d be here around nine,” Joesph answered. “Is there any bread for toast or something?”
Jamie looked at his watch. “It’s only seven thirty. There is some bread in the walk-in. I stuck it in there while everything was being packed up yesterday.” He looked around. “I’ll turn on the big toaster, so it’ll be hot.” Jamie went and turned the big machine on.
“We going to start in on removing that counter?” Salzy asked Joesph.
“Yes. Do we have any tools?” Joesph asked as he opened the door to the walk-in.
“We do. I scrounged around in the garage the other day and found most of what we needed.” He leaned closer to Joesph. “Is he okay?”
“I think he’s just tired.” He looked at the man next to him. “I’m sure that whole thing with Mike threw him for a loop. Brought up some bad shit for him.”
“He looks exhausted.”
“He is.” Joesph nodded. “You want some toast?”
“Are there any eggs left?”
“I have no idea.”
“Good, you found the bread,” Jamie said, holding out his hand for the plastic-wrapped loaf, coming back from the toaster.
“Are there any eggs?” Salzy asked again.
“No. I used them all yesterday,” Jamie answered.
“Damn.” Salzy slurped his coffee.
“I’ll go to the store today. Think about what you guys might like to eat.” Jamie took the bread over to the toaster. “There’s some butter,” he called over his shoulder.
“I know where there’s some blackberry jam,” Salzy said as he walked towards the alcove behind the staff room, where the pantry was located.
When Jamie came back, Joesph asked, “How about some gumbo. You make the absolute best gumbo I’ve ever had. That’s just one pot, isn’t it?”
“That sounds good.” Jamie nodded. “I also thought about making some gazpacho.”
“Ooo, yes.” Joesph smiled. “With the shrimp in it? Like what you made at the Peasant?”
Jamie smiled and nodded. “I’ll pick up some decent bread to go with both. Anything else you’re little heart desires?”
“Surprise me.” Joesph almost bounced. “I do love your cooking.”
“Jam,” Salzy announced, holding up a jar.
“Let’s eat and get started on that counter,” Jamie said, draining his coffee and handing the mug to Joesph.
“When did I become a server?” He asked, his voice scratchy. “I didn’t sign on for this.”
“It’ll have to be a group effort.” Jamie had a plate for the toast. “It’s going to be a wild ride for a while, I’d say.”
Jamie took the big sledgehammer, while Salzy dealt with cleaning up, and hammered it down, busting the remaining frame of the old counter. It took several tries to get it to break apart. He huffed from the exertion. “They sure built this thing to last.”
“I think saving the old countertop was the way to go,” Joesph said as he measured it out, then wrote it down. “It will make sure that it matches the other tabletops.”
Salzy came in and began breaking up the wood into smaller pieces and cramming them into the large garbage can. “We need to get one of those bag things that they pick up.”
“That’s a good idea.” Jamie wiped his brow. “The HVAC guys will be here tomorrow... finally.”
“I think Terry Hanson said they sell those bags and can arrange for pick up.” Salzy pulled the full can towards the front door. “This is going to fill all the cans we have.”
“Can you take care of that, please?” Jamie smiled, knowing that Salzy would do just about anything to spend time with Terry.
“Sure can,” he answered, a big smile on his face.
They had just finished cleaning up the area when the company that Joesph had hired to do the refurbishment of the chairs, tables, booths, and now countertops.
“Wow, you don’t see these very often.” The large Black man said as he looked at one of the chairs. “Are they original?”
Jamie smiled and nodded. “My grandparents got them not long after they bought the diner, and that was fifty-plus years ago.”
“My boss is going to be thrilled to see these.” He ran his hands over the chrome-wrapped tables. “He loves this stuff. I guess that’s why he started the business. I have no doubt that he’ll be directly involved in restoring these. He’s really going to go nuts over the stools.”
“Speaking of,” Joesph spoke up, “We only need six of them fixed up. If he wants to buy the other six, let me know.”
The big man laughed; his co-workers were almost done loading up the truck. “I’d wager money that he’ll want them. I’m looking forward to seeing the look on his face when he sees them.”
“And here is the purchase order along with the name of the color to be used.” Joesph handed the man a legal-size manila envelope. “If he has any questions, my card is paperclipped to the purchase order.”
Jamie looked at Joesph quizzically. “Purchase order?”
Joesph rolled his eyes. “I’m using my professional account, and we always use purchase orders.”
Jamie’s phone rang in his pocket. “Hello?”
“Jamie, it’s Adrian Jackson from Planters Credit Union. How are you today?”
“Hi, Adrian.” Jamie went back to the kitchen. “Doing just fine, everything considered. You?”
“Fine, just fine. I know you’ve already started the renovation process. I hope it goes well for you.”
“Just started today. How’d you know?”
“People are watching you. I heard you have a sign on the door. I may suggest you paper over the windows otherwise you may have an audience on the sidewalk,” Adrian laughed.
“I’d not thought of that. I’ll make sure to do just that. What can I do for you, Mr. Jackson?”
“Adrian, please.” Adrian cleared his throat. “I’ve heard from Payton Manley this morning. He’d like to set up a meeting this week if you have any spare time.”
“I’m not sure I can make it up to Atlanta this week.” Jamie looked into the dining room, not seeing either Joesph or Salzy.
“No, no. He’s coming to you.”
“Huh? Coming to Columbus?”
“That’s what he said.”
Jamie hesitated. “Uh, okay. I guess so. Do you know when?”
“From the tone of his email and phone call, yes both, the sooner the better.”
“But... why the hurry?” Jamie felt like his head was spinning. It’s all too fast. Mamaw hasn’t been dead even a week.
“Jamie,” Adrian let out a sigh. “Maybe you’ve not had a chance to look over all that paperwork I gave you, and even if you did, it’s a lot to wrap your head around.”
“I’ve... well, no, I’ve not looked at the paperwork other than the new accounts stuff, and we talked about all that.”
“Speaking of which, just let me know if you want me to move any more of that money over for renovations. I know that expenses can add up quickly, and I was serious about being able to build ten new diners. There is plenty of money for you to do what you want or need to do.”
“I’m sorry, Adrian, I’m still having a hard time... well, dealing with everything.” Jamie sighed heavily. “I’ve not had a spare minute to think about much of anything.”
“I understand, Jamie.” Adrian let out his own sigh.
“To be honest, I don’t know how you’ve managed to do what you’ve done already.
I guess that’s why people are so interested in you.
It’s like Ms. Mattie never died. Or Mr. Solan, either, for that matter.
It’s like... well, you’ve never skipped a beat.
Everything just went on as it always has. ”
“I’ve just done what I’ve always done.” Jamie rubbed his eyes, feeling so tired.
“On another note,” Jamie could feel the smile even though he couldn’t see Adrian. “Is it true that your biscuits are better than your grandmother’s?”
At that, Jamie had to laugh. “She is probably livid at me, and my grandfather is shaking his fist at me.”
Adrian laughed. “I can’t wait for you to reopen so I can try them. We did plan on coming in for dinner last Friday night, but the line was out the door.”
“Yeah, I don’t know exactly what’s going on, but I’ve never seen the diner so busy. Walter either.”
“Jamie, I think that folks around here feel like you’re a breath of fresh air. It doesn’t hurt that you have the reputation of being one of the top chefs in Atlanta. That carries a lot of weight around here. You know, homeboy comes home a big winner. That sort of thing.”
“Pfft. I don’t think so, but there is something going on.”
“Well, Jamie, it was good to chat with you, but I do have a mountain of paperwork to deal with. I’ll call Mr. Manley and let him know that anytime this week will work for you. If he gives me a date and time, I’ll let you know. I did give him your number so he may call you directly.”
“Don’t men like him have people to do all that?”
Adrian sighed. “I’m sure he does, but Jamie, you’re not just anyone. Not anymore.”