Chapter Eight
Flo had just turnedthe closed sign over to open on the diner’s door when Jamie walked in.Jamie looked at Flo, and she had the biggest shit-eating grin on her face.She nodded slightly to Jamie before walking back to the kitchen window and shouted something to Walter.
Jamie went into the kitchen and was about to start making corn bread when Dexter stopped him.“Jamie, we have enough corn bread for tonight already.No sense in making more.”
“What about biscuits?”
“Yep, plenty.”
“Is there anything you need me to do?”Jamie was about to put on a clean cooks shirt.
Dexter stopped him.“What I need you to do is to go on upstairs and have some time to yourself.It isn’t going to be so busy tonight.Matter of fact, Flo sent Minnie to stop by and look in on Timmy on her way home.Walter and I fixed them up a big plate for the both of them.”
“Wow, it’s that slow at dinner?It used to be full in here.”Jamie looked through the order up window.“I know Tuesdays weren’t the busiest of nights, but it was still a decent night.”
“Yeah, it’s been steadily going down for a while now.”Dexter looked into Jamie’s eyes.“I hate to put all this on you, but if you don’t step up and do something, and quick, this diner won’t be here next year.”
When Jamie went out the back door, he saw Salzy sitting on the bumper of his big semi.Jamie waved, and Salzy waved for him to come over.
“Want to come up for a beer?Looks like you could use one.”
“I thought your fridge was on the fritz?”Jamie said.
“It is, but I do know how to operate a cooler, ya know.”He pointed his thumb back towards his rig.“How do you think I manage on the road?”
Jamie snorted.“You make a valid point, my friend.And yes, I will take you up on the beer.Also, tomorrow I want you to go and find the fridge you want and then let me know which one it is, and I’ll get it delivered.”
“Whoa, now.”Salzy stopped walking.“I never asked you to go and buy me a refrigerator.”
“Nope, you didn’t.But you pay rent here, don’t you?”
“Well, yeah.Not all that much, though.”Salzy kicked at the loose gravel.“I’ve been...wanting to talk to you about that too.”He stopped walking.“Basically, I pay squat in rent.Only a hundred bucks a month.I know your grandparents could have gotten a lot more from some of the army guys, but they wouldn’t hear of it.”
“Things stand as they were, at least for now.You pay rent, so you need to have a refrigerator to make it a legal rental.You can’t be expected to rent a place, and itnothave a flipping refrigerator in it.”
“Okay.”Salzy stopped at the bottom of the stairs to go up to the apartment over the garage.“You’ve made your point.But I’m not going to go and pick out the most expensive one they have just to have one, ya know.”
“I know.”He pushed Salzy up a step.“Hurry up.I want that beer and...well, maybe talk some business with you.”
Salzy rolled his eyes.“I swear, sometimes I think you’re your grandmother and then you say shit like that, and then I think your Mr.Solan.”
Jamie chuckled.“Maybe a little of both?”
“Oh, lordy, help me now.”
Salzy opened the can of beer and handed it to Jamie.“Have a seat.”
Jamie sat on the old sofa.Even with a throw blanket on it, he could tell how shabby the old sofa was.He took another long sip of beer.“When did you say you were heading out again?”
Salzy squinted his eyes.“Did Flo say something to you?”
“No.Why?Actually, she didn’t say one word to me when I came back from meeting Mr.Brown.”
