“Right.I brought my toolbox.”Jenkins went over to the big stove.“We need to find the gas cutoff.”
“I’ll get the toolbox.”The Black man said.He gave Joesph a big smile.“Hi.”
“Hi, yourself.”Joesph watched the guy leave.“Uh...who are these guys?”He directed the question to Mike.
“They’re in my platoon.I make up the schedule, and there wasn’t much of anything for them to do other than run drills and take something apart and then put it back together.”Mike smiled.“Sometimes it’s good to be the boss.”
Jenkins held out his hand to Joesph.“Corporal Thomas Jenkins.”
Joesph shook his hand, hoping he wouldn’t get crushed.
“I sure do hope the diner will reopen soon.“It’s the only place in town that has decent biscuits and gravy.”
“It is and it will.Jamie’s biscuits are the best I’ve ever had,” Joesph assured the man.
“And the sooner we get this old equipment out of here, the sooner we can all get our fix,” Mike said.
“We’re on it, Sarg.”Jenkins turned back to the big stove.
“Who’s the other man?”Joesph asked Mike in a whisper.“Is he single?”
Mike laughed.“Sorry, Earl has a wife and two kids.”
“Damn,” Joesph sighed.
Earl returned with the toolbox and two other equally big men.Jenkins and Earl had the stove pulled out from the wall and moved to disconnect the industrial stove.“See if one of you can’t find the gas cutoff,” Jenkins said.“And we need to get the dollies in here.”
“Hey, Mike,” one of the construction guys called from the dining room.“I think we’re all set here.If all this equipment gets moved out by noon, I can have a crew in here this afternoon.”
“Thanks, Jim.”Mike shook the man’s hand.“That’s music to my ears.I knew I could count on you.”
“Yep, my pleasure.You and your guys have helped me out in the past, so it’s good to be able to help you out for a change.”
“Gas is off,” one of the Army guys shouted from the back door.“Tailgate of the truck is down and ready.”
“Okay, get ready then,” Jenkins called out.“This stove is ready to load up.It’s heavy.It’ll take all four of us to get it secured in the truck.”
Joesph watched as piece by piece, all the old industrial cooking equipment was hauled out.The only things left in the kitchen were the stainless-steel benches and racks that had held cookware.It was all pushed against the very back wall of the kitchen.
“Nice to have met you,” Jenkins said before leaving.“Tell the new owner he owes us a big breakfast when you get reopened.”
“I’m sure he’ll have no issue with that.Thanks for the help.”Joesph shook the man’s hand.“Where are you taking all that stuff?”
“Sarg found a women’s shelter that needed equipment like this, so it’s being donated.”
“It will give Jamie a tax break, too,” Mike added.He shook Jenkins’s hand.“Thanks a lot guys.Have you talked to Hasha?”
“Nope.Not seen him,” Jenkins said.
“Okay.I’ll give him a call,” Mike said as he took his phone from his pocket.
Joesph wondered how he even got it into his pocket those shorts were so tight around his thick legs.
“Bye,” Joesph said, walking Jenkins to the door, and then looked back at the kitchen.“Wow,” he said.“That was...amazing.”
* * * * *
Jamie opened the doorto his apartment.He stopped just inside.“Well crap!”
