Jamie shook his head.“That makes no sense.”
“It does.You’ll see.”Salzy took a long sip of his beer.“Now, what did you want my opinion on, and didn’t you say we’d look at refrigerators?”
“Already done.”Jamie smiled.“I ordered it while you were out getting beer.You’re also getting a new mattress.I know mine sucks, so I’m sure yours does as well.I know you rent that apartment furnished, so you don’t get a word in the matter other than thank you.”
“That’s two words.”
“Oh, for hell’s sake.”Jamie sipped his beer.“How long have you lived here?”
Salzy sat back, rocking slightly.“Let me see...almost two years, I think.”
“You like living here.”Jamie kept his eyes forward.
“Well, yeah.It’s like having a family home.”He turned towards Jamie.“What’s this all about?You want me to clear out?”
“No, nothing like that.”He turned towards Salzy.“I’m just mulling things over in my head.It’s like...like reading a road map right now.Trying to figure things out is all.”
“Okay.”
They sat for a while longer, nursing their beers, when there was a yell.“Jamie, you up there?”It was Dexter.
“Yeah, Dex, out on the back veranda.Come on up,” Jamie yelled back.
The Black man opened the screen door to the veranda.“It sure is cooler out here; it’s getting hot already.I bet this summer is going to be a scorcher.”He wiped his forehead with a bandana pulled from his back pocket.
“Walter sent me up here.He says there’s no need for you to work tonight.He doesn’t think that we’ll be busy, and there’s still plenty of corn bread and biscuits.”He looked at the two men and then at the beers they held.“Laws-a-mercy.Ms.Mattie is sure ’nough rollin’ in her grave.”
Salzy laughed.“I told him that.”
Jamie smiled.“I wouldn’t be surprised if she came back to haunt my butt.”He turned towards Dexter, smiling.“Tell Walter thanks for me.I could use a day off.”
Dexter nodded.“Boss, I think you deserve more than just a day off.You should take a few off.”
“I agree,” Salzy added.“It isn’t right for you to take on the world all at once, especially with...well, you know.”
Jamie looked out over the fields.“I’ll think about it.”
“Well, I’ll go and tell Walter.You guys enjoy your evening.”
Dexter walked back inside, not letting the screen door slam behind him.
Jamie leaned over and slugged Salzy.
“What the hell, man?”Salzy rubbed his shoulder.
“That’s for letting the screen door slam.”Jamie smiled, not looking at Salzy.
“That hurt.”
“It was meant to.”Jamie glanced over at the other man.“It’s so you remember not to let the door slam.”
Salzy grunted, still rubbing his arm.“What opinions you wanting?”
Jamie scooted the rocking chair around so he could see his new friend.“The first thing was to get your take on me staying on here and running the diner.I think we covered that.”He smiled.“Thanks for that, by the way.The other was what your plans were, and if you planned on staying here.Again, covered that.”Jamie took a deep breath and let it out slowly.“The other things mostly have to do with the diner and...well, how it’s been run and looking towards potential growth.”
Salzy scooted his chair around to look directly at Jamie.“You do realize I have no clue as to how to run a restaurant, right?I don’t know what you think I could contribute to that conversation.”
“You know this area better than what you’re letting on.I also think you have opinions, and there isn’t a lot of things that you don’t notice.”
