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Crystal

The greatest happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved, loved for ourselves, or rather loved in spite of ourselves.
                                                                                                           -VICTOR HUGO
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Man, everyone's here tonight!
Well, almost everyone.

"There he is!"   A smiling Alan Adler greets me. He's sitting with Steve Matarazzo, Harland Woods, Rochelle's brother Leonard Peyton, who's a former hoops legend at Villanova, and Sgt. Bob Housemartin.
"What did I do?"
"You're just here," Harland says.
"Folks, this here's Crystal, she's a friend of mine from Ohio, visiting for the weekend."
Crystal and I both grab a stool.   She whispers to me, "wow, this place is so...old..."
"Yeah, but it's clean!"   I turn to Alan.   "You still hosting that Super Bowl party of yours?"
"Nah.   Giants and Patriots.   I'd rather not.   My brother decided to go down to Florida anyway for the week, so..."
"What, Giants and Patriots not good enough for you?"
"Nope.   Hate 'em both.   Gonna rent a bunch of movies from Blockbuster instead."
"Wife and I are going antiquing that afternoon.   I don't do the pregame show, it's for idiots."
"Yeah," Sergeant Bob says.   "Like we don't have enough of them in the world."
"So, Crystal," Harland calls. "You're from Illinois?"
"Ohio."
"Oh, sorry.   Where in Ohio?"
"South of Toledo."
"Do they have diners like this in Ohio?"
"Kinda," she says.   Crystal's a bit nervous around strangers.   "Only you don't see all this stainless steel."
"Hey," Steve Matarazzo interjects.   "Stainless steel's great!   You never see any stains."
"That's true!"
I look around- it's a typical Friday night.   Don Don's here.   I can see him down the other end of the counter, trying to talk up Cookie.   She looks like she's ignoring him.   The crowd's young, boisterous.   Suddenly, a familiar face catches me...isn't that-"
"Yes, it's Phyllis," Steve points out to me.
"Oh no,' Sergeant Bob snorts.   "Is that lunatic here?"
"Yes."  Steve dips his toast in the runny egg on his plate.   "She won't sit with us anymore.   We're all traitors and liberals and weaklings."
Alan chuckles.   Sergeant Bob shakes his head.
"I think my sister told me about her."   Leonard's enjoying a bowl of cold cereal.
"If she comes over, just ignore her.   When no one answers her back, she goes away."
Dawn comes down to our side of the counter.   "Hey, you," she says with a wink.
"Hi!" I point to the person sitting to my left.   "Dawn, this is Crystal, she's staying with us for the weekend."
"Hi, Crystal!"
"Hi!"
"What are you guys having?"
"I'll have a toasted corn muffin and coffee," I say.   "How 'bout you?"
"Burger and a Coke?"
"Sounds good," Dawn says.   She snaps her pad shut and hurries away.
"So, that's Dawn, huh?"   Crystal stays close.   "You told me about all these people.   I can't believe I'm actually here!"
"I'm glad you are here."
"There's one person missing, though."
I look around.   "Who?   Don Don's over there, I can flag him down and you can meet him-"
"No!"   Crystal suddenly looks pale.   "No, Brenda's not here."
"Hey, I told you, Friday night.   She's usually busy working.   She might come in, she might not.   I can call in a little while, and see if she's gonna be free."
"Okay."
I turn to Rochelle's older brother.   "So, Leonard, where are you nowadays?"
"Teaching phys ed in high school.   Down in Wilmington, Delaware."
"How's that working out?"
"Good.   I coach varsity hoops."   He pours himself a second cup of tea.   "I'm where I like to be, I'm having fun."
"That's great.   That's so rare."
"It really is."
"Hey, George!"
I look over my shoulder, and see Don Don peering down at me, through the eyes in his elongated, cylindrical head.   "Hi, Donald."
"Who's this?"
"Uh, this is my friend Crystal, Crystal, this is Donald."
"Hi, Christine."
"Uh, hi, Donald."
Donald just stares down at us.   "Hey, George!"
"Yes, Donald?"
"That new waitress won't talk to me, she's got an attitude.   Who the hell does she think she is anyway?"
"She's trying to work, Donald!"
"Doesn't mean she can't be friendly!   Isn't that right, Christine?"
"It's Crystal, Donald."   I'm beginning to get annoyed.   "Crystal."
"Whuh?"
"Don, we're all trying to eat, here."   Sergeant Bob's voice is slightly raised; the timbre barely hides the ferociousness; a mailed fist inside a velvet glove.   "Find a seat someplace, or else."
Donald wanders off.
"Gotta run," the Sergeant says.   "My R&R after throwing that maniac in the holding cell across the street's over."
We all offer goodbyes.   Dawn waves at her departing brother from up the counter.
"Nice meeting you, Crystal."   He holds out his hand; nay, his paw.
"Likewise!"   Inside said paw, her hand almost disappears.
I watch his enormous frame, enveloped in the light, steel blue of the New Jersey State Police, head up to the cash register.   "Big guy, isn't he?" I say to my companion.
"He's huge!"
"Yep." Steve sighs.   "He's not one to mess with.   Believe me."
Dawn brings over our orders.   She looks somewhat cheerful tonight.
"Thanks, sweetie," I say.   She winks.
"I think I like this place," Crystal says.   "Stainless steel and all."

Posted by Knoxxie03 on 2008-01-25 22:41:28 | Rating: