“We got us a looker today girl,” Helen said, a white woman in her mid-fifties. She was among those who started working there as a teenager too. “And when I say good looking, I am understating it.”
Joy was looking around. “Who are you talking about?”
The hostess pointed toward William, who had decided to head to the restroom before he placed his order. “The man walking toward the restrooms in that brown jacket.”
“Him?” She hunched her small shoulders. She was unimpressed. “He looks like a regular old white man to me.”
“What old? Netta, you don’t know what you’re talking about. That man can’t possibly be more than forty-two or forty-three years old if he’s a day.”
“I rest my case,” said the much-younger Joy.
The hostess laughed. That was Netta. Always good for a laugh.
“I wonder if he’s married though,” Helen mused.
“Did he have on a ring?”
“I didn’t get a chance to look. Because if he’s not married? Ba-be, I am gonna be all over that!”
“Number one,” said Joy, “you’re married.”
“And?”
Joy shook her head. Hoes came in all ages, she supposed. “And number two,” she said, “if he’s the age you said he is, then that man is way too young for you, Miss Helen. Way too young!”
Helen gave her a side-eyed look. “Who do you think you’re talking to? I’m notthatold!”
Joy laughed. “Yes ma’am.”
“And what you know about it anyway? He’s a great-looking guy. And a gentleman to boot.”
In truth, he was too far away for Joy to render any opinion on his looks, but she enjoyed needling Helen. “He’s aw’ight.”
“He’s justaw’ightto you because you wouldn’t know good looking if it bit you in the face. That man is fine, you hear me? And so polite too. I bet you he leaves you a big fat tip.”
Joy looked at her. “Is he the guy that drove up in that Corvette?”
“No, some young whippersnapper was driving that.”
Joy frowned. “A whipper-what?”
“Why should it matter what he was driving?”
“Because if he was driving a brand-new Corvette that would mean he has money to burn and might just be able to give me that big tip you’re talking about.”
Helen shook her head. “Netta, you don’t know nothing do you? Just because a person drives around in a fancy car doesn’t mean they’re rich.”
“I know that. But it has to meansomething,” Joy said.
“It means they’re foolish enough to spend their hard-earned dollars on a car they could probably barely afford. That’s all that means.”
Then the kitchen bell rang. “Order’s up, Netta,” said the food expeditor through the cut-out window inside the kitchen as he tossed two plates onto its countertop.
“I’ll check his finger for you,” Joy said with a wink as she hurried to grab the plates, and Helen smiled too.
When William made it back to his booth from the restroom, he had no idea he had been the topic of anybody’s conversation. He pulled out his reading glasses, put them on, and carefully looked over the menu to see what they had to offer. What he saw was a menu overloaded with greasy comfort food, which he wasn’t accustomed to eating. But there was at least one section filled with grilled comfort food. He checked out that section more closely.
Further back, Joy delivered the burgers and fries to the two truckers. Then she made her way to the table where Miss Helen’s “cute” guy was seated. “Welcome to Maylene’s,” she said in her usual cheerful voice.
