Chapter Forty-One
Jamie was sitting at one of the new tables behind the diner, a cold German beer in his hand and a heaping plate of BBQ. Everything seemed surreal to him. He was having a hard time reconciling that this was his life. He looked up at Mike, and then Joesph.
“Seems you two have been busy.”
“Have some of that pulled pork,” Mike urged. “I think it’s some of the best I’ve ever had.” He had a piece of white bread in one hand and a forkful of pork barbecue in the other. “And the pickles go perfectly with it.”
Jamie got a bite into his mouth, and his eyes went wide. “Da-ummn,” he said, speaking around a mouthful of food.
“Right?” Joesph managed to say around a spoonful of baked beans. “This is some serious barbecue.”
Salzy grunted, his mouth full. He looked like he’d just died and gone to heaven.
Jamie hadn’t realized he was even hungry as he devoured the food on his plate. Jamie took a long draw from his beer and proceeded to belch loudly. “Excuse me!” He felt embarrassed having done that so crudely. “This is some really good BBQ.”
Mike laughed. “Yep, that’s some good eatin’.”
“So... whatcha think?” Joesph asked, picking up his iced tea, his head nodding towards the diner. “Pretty cool, huh?”
“I don’t know what to think.” Jamie could hear men inside, the snap and clap of the welding machine making a lot of noise. “I mean, I knew, theoretically, what was going to happen, but it’s something else to see it.”
“I’ve got a rendering of what the finished look will be upstairs,” Joesph said. He put his hand on Jamie’s forearm. “I think you’re going to like the finished product.”
Jamie nodded. “I trust you.”
“I did get some pecan pie,” Mike said. “But I’m afraid it won’t be anything as good as what you could make.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Jamie smiled. “It’ll have to wait a while, though. I’m too full to even think about it right now.”
“I’m not.” Salzy reached for the box. “We got a knife to cut it?”
“Sergeant Jones?” An older man stuck his head out the back door. “We’re about ready to wrap up. Want to come have a look?”
“Absolutely.” Mike stood and offered his hand to Jamie. “Come with me.”
Jamie let himself be pulled to his feet and followed the two men inside.
Other guys were sweeping and shovelling up dust and small pieces of brick and other debris.
After a minute, Mike was standing on a ladder inspecting where the upright beams and the new overhead beam were joined.
Jamie got an up close look at the man’s legs.
The fine dark hair, the muscle definition, the very fine butt, clenched in those tight, very tight, khaki shorts.
“Looks like some mighty fine work.” Mike smiled down. “I doubt any of my men could have done it any better.”
“Thank you.” The older man chuckled. “That’s pretty high praise coming from you. The electrician will be here first thing in the morning to do the wiring. That won’t take too long, and then the Sheetrock men will be hot on their heels. I’d say, by the end of tomorrow, we’ll be outta y’all’s hair.”
“That’ll be perfect,” Joesph said. “The flooring people will be here on Friday. They’ll start in the kitchen since they’ll have to jackhammer this old tile up.”
Jamie walked around the new opening. “It’s all so different.” He turned to Joesph. “I did mention that I wanted to maintain the dignity of the diner, didn’t I?”
“You did, and I think I’ll be able to achieve that. You’ll see when I show you the drawing.”
Mike looked at his watch. “It’s still pretty early. Is there anything else we need to get accomplished today?” he asked Joesph.
“No, we’re at a good stopping point.” He looked pointedly at Jamie. “No offence, but you look like something the cat threw up.”
“Gee, thanks.” Jamie shook his head, frowning. “You’re no rose, you’re damn self.”
“Why don’t you go and have a nap?” Joesph took Jamie’s arm and pulled him towards the door. “We can have leftovers for dinner.”
“More than enough,” Salzy said, pushing Jamie as Joesph pulled him.
“Do you mind if I join you guys?” Mike asked. “I’ll need to go and grab a shower first. I’m smelly and grimy.”
“Of course not,” Joesph answered. “I think we all need a little downtime.”
“What am I? A toddler that needs a nap?” Jamie resisted being pulled and pushed up the stairs.
“No.” Joesph pulled on Jamie’s arm a little harder. “You’re a man who looks like he needs some serious sleep. You’ll feel better and hopefully, look better.” He stopped and glared at Jamie, hard. “I’m telling you, you need some rest.”
“What if I’m not sleepy?” Jamie allowed himself to be pulled into the upstairs apartment.
“Then just rest,” Salzy stated. “I’m going to do the same, after I have a shower.”
“Same here,” Joesph echoed.
“I’ll be back around five or so,” Mike yelled from the downstairs parking lot.
Admittedly, Jamie did feel tired, so he didn’t protest any further.
* * * * *
Jamie woke up with Joesph shaking him. “Jamie, wake up. It’s four o’clock. If you sleep any more, you may not sleep tonight.”
He sat up and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. “Really? Already?”
“Yeah. You have time for a shower before Mike gets here.”
“Dang, I feel like I just got to sleep.” He swung his legs over the side of the bed. “I guess I was more tired than I thought.”
“Um-mm,” Joesph nodded. “I told you.”
“Thanks.” Jamie looked up at Joesph. “You were right.”
“Oh? What’s that?” Joesph cupped his hand behind his ear, leaning forward. “What was that again?”
Jamie stood up and pushed Joesph away from him. “You heard me. I’m not saying it twice.”
“Sal says the truck still needs to be unloaded. It may rain tonight, and you don’t want that stuff getting wet.”
Jamie groaned. “I’d forgotten about that.”
Joesph looked around Jamie’s bedroom. “You even going to have room for it all? This room is tiny.”
“It’ll have to do. I may have to downsize a little more.”
Joesph crossed his arms. “You’re going to let me redo this apartment, aren’t you?”
“Can we... like talk about all that later?” He looked at Joesph. “Let me get through one project before we consider another? Please?”
“Go shower,” Joesph called over his shoulder, already having left the room. “Then I want to show you the renderings of the diner. I may need your input for the kitchen setup.”
Jamie felt more like himself after a shower, a cup of coffee that Joesph had gotten for him and dressed in clean clothes. He was sitting on the back veranda, trying not to think of anything.
“Come on in here,” Joesph called out from the apartment. “I promise, after this I won’t mention this job again. I just want you to sign off on all this.”
“On my way.” Jamie groaned softly as he raised himself from the rocking chair. He waved to Salzy as he made his way towards the stairs.
“You want a beer?” He called up.
“Not yet, thanks,” Jamie yelled over the railing.
“Mind if I have one?”
“Of course not.” Jamie opened the screen door to go inside.
“I’ll have one, please,” Joesph yelled from the small table that had been returned from the kitchen. Jamie had no idea of when that happened. It was right where it had been when he’d been growing up.
Jamie rinsed out the mug before he sat down at the table. “Okay, I’m here.”
Joesph nodded and folded back the cover of his portfolio case, revealing the drawing he’d done of the front of the diner, looking from the road. He felt his jaw go slack. It took him a full minute to take it in and comprehend what he was seeing.
“Is it... you don’t like it?” Joesph asked quietly.
“No. I mean... yes.” Jamie leaned forward as he looked closely at all the details. He pointed to the big sign close to the road. “Is that for real?”
“Yes.” Joesph pulled the paper closer. “The band, the one that goes all around the outside, is aluminium. All the lettering is outlined by neon. The sign is ringed by old timey looking light bulbs. It’s almost a replica of one I found of a diner on Route 66.”
Jamie looked at Joesph. “It looks... well it looks like something that could have been here when the diner opened.”
“That’s what I was going for.” Joesph smiled.
“Here’s ya beer,” Salzy said, handing a bottle of Bud Light to Joesph. He looked at what Jamie was studying. “Oh, wow!” He leaned over. “That’s incredible. It’s beautiful.”
“Thank you.” Joesph held his beer up to Salzy, smiling.
“What’s in the flower boxes?” Jamie asked.
“It can be whatever you want, but I drew in rosemary, since that’s about the only herb I know of and how to draw.”
Jamie had to laugh. “I think we can do without the flower boxes. Keep the lines clean around the windows. I think it’s more of a distraction.”
“Okay.” Joesph squinted. “I think you’re right.”
“The rest of it is perfect.” Jamie clasped Joesph on the shoulder. “I knew you’d get it right. It looks like the diner... only better.”
“Ready for the dining room?” Joesph folded back the large page.
Once again, it took Jamie a long moment to take in the color drawing. He shook his head and looked at Joesph.
“This is the new cabinetry that will go across the new opening into the kitchen.” Joesph ran his index finger across the paper.
“There is the serving top counter with the heat lamps. Then the lower one will be for non-hot food. There are drawers for cutlery and napkins and whatnot, just like the one at the Peasant restaurant, only better, I think. It really helped me being able to see the dining room in full use. I could see what was needed.” He pointed to the section that was close to the new counter that would be for the cash register.
“I’ve also moved the drink station into the dining room.
It will save the time and steps for the servers to go into the kitchen. It will also free up space back there.”
“It’s like what it was always supposed to look like. I really like the feel of it.”
“And there are the bar stools and places for your regulars to sit in the mornings.” Joesph tapped where he was talking about. “Flo made sure I kept that space and I think she was right. It fits.”
Jamie could feel his eyes watering up. He tried his best to keep them back, but in the end, he couldn’t. “Mamaw would have loved this.” The tears finally fell.