01 October 2003

I was making a delivery out in the suburbs today, but the people weren't there. I called it in.

"You're near Vets and Williams, right?" the boss asked.

I told him I was.

"Go to Frannie's. Get some breakfast."

So I did.

Frannie's is a diner in the best sense. I sat at the bar and they immediately offered me coffee. I accepted. I ordered the Big Breakfast and read my paper. I felt like Mandy Patinkin on Dead Like Me.

I was sitting next to Miss Frannie's table. I eavesdropped. Miss Frannie smoked and barked out orders to the new girl.

"I don't know," Miss Frannie told one of the other waitresses, "I'm just gonna put a little more on her each day and see how she handles it. I think she's got the attitude for this business, anyway."

The new girl walked up. "I don't think I got anything else to do," she told Miss Frannie.

Miss Frannie snorted smoke out her nose. "Girl, I see twelve things that need doing! Make another pot of coffee. Get some silverware on those tables. That man needs his order taken..." The new girl scurried off.

Later, Miss Frannie gave the new girl hell about her tongue piercing.

"You play with it all the time, poppin' it against your teeth."

"I don't!"

"You do! I watch you. I know. Can you take it out? I think the damned things are disgusting."