“When do you think? I’m heading to Chicago bright and early tomorrow morning. I’m not letting this opportunity past me by.”
“Tomorrow? You’ve got to work tomorrow, Joy. You can’t lose a shift on amaybe it’s a jobbecause some old white man named William told you it might be a job for you there.”
“I know. You think I don’t know that? But . . .” She was near tears. “I’ve gotta try it, Tess. I’ve got to. It’s been my dream to work in an office, you know that. That’s all I want. A good, decent, office job. A clerk or a secretary or something like that. A job with benefits that’ll still pay my salary when I’m out sick. And I can go to a private doctor, not just the county hospital when I’m sick. And I won’t have to rely on tips anymore. And they’ll have Christmas parties and potluck get togethers when it’s somebody’s birthday. That’s all I want. A good, dependable, safe job. This is the best chance I’ve ever had to get it. Maybe this is the only chance I’ll ever have. And I’m gonna take it.”
Contessa stared at her.
“I can’t end up like Miss Helen and all these other bitter ladies around here still talking about what they used to have or looking for a man to take care of them. I’m tired of working double shifts just to pay my bills. But if I get that office job, I can work that job only and pay all my bills too. And I won’t be relying on any man to do anything for me. I’ve got to take the chance.”
“And if it turns out to be nothing?”
An even sadder look appeared in Joy’s huge greenish-brown eyes. And she hunched her shoulders. “If it turns out to be nothing, then I’ll come back here and work double shifts and keep hoping.”
“You’ll keep hope alive?”
Joy smiled. “You know I will. I’ll be hurt and disappointed, don’t get me wrong, but it won’t break me.”
And that was what Contessa loved most about her best friend. She stood up, Joy stood up too, and they embraced. “Nothing will ever break your happy ass,” she said to her, and Joy laughed. When they stopped hugging, Contessa nodded her head. “I pray all goes well for you,” she said to her. “I truly do.”
“Thank you, Tess. Thank you so much. Oh, and do you think I could use the van to get there?”
“Myvan? Girl, you know good n’ well that van won’t drive all the way to no Chicago. It can barely get us to and from work.”
Joy smiled. “Just kidding,” she said and they both laughed.
“So how you gonna get there?”
“I’ll just have to catch old Greyhound. But I gotta do it, Contessa. This may be my one and only chance to get out of this place.”
“But what bothers me is that he didn’t say he’d hire you. He said he’ll see what he can do sort of thing.”
“I know that.”
“And look at this card. His name isn’t even on it. Who has a business card without their name on it?”
“I don’t know. But what do we know about business cards anyway? Maybe that’s how they make’em nowadays.”
“Mysterious?”
“Yeah.Why not?”
“No, Joy. That doesn’t make no kind of sense. And how are you gonna pay for this bus trip to Chicago anyway?”
“I thought you were supportive.”
“I am. But you’re the dreamer and I’m the realistic one. That’s a three-hour bus ride. It could cost a sixty or seventy dollars or more round trip and we both know you ain’t never gonna have no extra dollars like that laying around.”
“I know, I know. Okay? I know. But I got it. William gave me nearly ninety dollars in a tip.”
“For real?” Contessa was impressed. But then she stared at her best friend. “You’re determined, aren’t you?”
Joy looked her best friend dead in the eyes. “With everything within me.”
“But why do you have to go tomorrow? It’s Taco Tuesday. It’s one of our busiest days.”
“I have to go while he still remembers me. If I wait too long, even an extra day too long, he may not even remember being in our restaurant. It’s now or never. That’s how I feel about it.”
Contessa nodded. “Okay girl. I’ll cover for you.”
