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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 4 – Masters)
Topic: FRESH START (01/05/17)

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• TITLE: The House Special | Previous Challenge Entry
  By Terry Bovinet
  01/12/17
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Diane paused at the back door of the dilapidated diner, exhaled, and uttered a short prayer for help and hope. For three difficult year she had followed this routine at 4 a.m. to prepare herself for the daunting tasks ahead. Tasks. Plural.

Although “only” a waitress, she often fulfilled the roles of cook, cashier, hostess, table busser, whatever. Also, she often stepped in as the referee for the arguments that raised the decibel level almost daily.

The regulars would arrive at 5 a.m. and expect an immediate cup of coffee.

“Diane, coffee, now!” Sam yelled this half-seriously, half-jokingly, but since she heard it every morning except Sundays, it had lost any sense of amusement.

Other customers would echo Sam’s call as she bustled to fill the cups and take orders, most of which she knew by heart.

“Still wearing that silly cross, I see. You need to give that up.”

Hank chided her for wearing her grandmothers’ cross on her first day at the diner and he often repeated his displeasure.

She tolerated Hank, the lewd nicknames, and finally put an end to the pinches, but the suggestive leers still bothered her with a gnawing discomfort that would inevitably end with a red face and nervous stomach.

"Why do I stay?"

The money barely paid her growing bills. She did well to make 10 percent for tips, if anything.

This day, two new customers entered the diner. An older woman with dirty, matted hair carrying a sack that contained an assortment of clothes sat at the counter. The woman’s smell filled the area around her causing one of the regulars to move down two stools. Also, a sharply dressed man took a seat at a round table with his back to a corner.

“I’ll take coffee and white toast, please.” The woman did not look at Diane as she ordered and then carefully stacked four packets of jelly in front of her.

“Yes, ma’am. Anything else I can get for you?”

“Um, no. But thank you.”

After engaging the toaster, Diane noticed two empty creamer cups and four empty sugar packets by the cup of the disheveled woman.

“What can I get for you, Sir?” Diane pointed to the menu on the chalkboard above the grill so the other new customer could order.

“The house special, please.”

“Right away! Thank you!”

“House special, Matt.” Diane stuck her head in the kitchen and whisked away more of Matt’s completed plates.

The woman’s toast popped up just as Diane returned to the counter.

“Here you go. Enjoy!” Diane sympathetically watched as the woman covered each piece with two pats of butter and a packet of jelly. She slipped the other two jelly packets in her bag.

The woman ate ravenously, then quietly asked Diane, “Bill, please” as she carefully counted out change from a tattered purse.

Her disheartened expression when seeing the bill sank Diane’s heart. “I am sorry. I don’t have that much.” After an awkward pause, she quietly offered, “I can wash dishes.”

“Listen, Ma’am, I will take care of your bill. You go and may God bless you.”

With a relieved look she softly stated, “He already has.”

Her response brought a tear to Diane’s eye, but more calls from the regulars and Matt’s “Order up” brought her back to reality.

With her smile restored, she served the other new customer.

“Busy day for you today?” His warmth encouraged her.

“Every day, Sir. Every day.”

“I admire your energy and attitude.”

Not knowing what to say other than “Thank you,” Diane swung around to tackle the next demand.

After several minutes, the man moved to the register.

“$7.23, please. I hope you enjoyed the special, Sir.”

“Nice of you to help that woman.” He gave her a twenty-dollar bill. “Keep the change.”

Flabbergasted, Diane could not speak.

“Here.” The man wrote on the back of his business card, “HIRE DIANE as ASST. MANAGER.” Then he signed his name in an illegible scrawl.

“Give that to Sherry at our new restaurant in Aurora. We open in two months.”

Now confused, she turned over his card and noted his title: Executive VP of HR.

Her eyes settled on the business name and logo: FRESH START - Making your first meal of the day your best meal of the day.

Diane knew the popular restaurant chain served healthy, upscale breakfasts.

When she looked up, he had already left.

“I will thank him in Aurora.”

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