Golden Greaser

- 15 -

     The darkening clouds above me give a deep throb of distant sound, alerting me to the approaching storm that would probably bring icy, bone-chilling rain. 

   I pick up the pace, already feeling the cold envelope me, although it wasn't quite present at the moment. 

    And as I relinquished the air from my lungs, I began once more the ever-present replay of the past two weeks. 

   I hated my mind for taunting me like this. 

    It was like I was at the movie house, watching every single re-showing of the same film. 

    Over and over, the image of my dad, lying motionless and quiet on the bed would come first. Then, it would show me telling Darry to leave. And then he did. 

   Finally, it would throw in some old memories, mocking me with their joy and laughter. 

   Another rumble from the sky brings me out of my thoughts, refocusing my path to Jay's. 

  "Diana!" I hear a distant voice call my name. "Diana, come on!" 

   I look up to see who I think is Carolyn, waving at me from the front entrance of Jays about two-hundred feet away. 

    The thunder's closer now, ushering me along as if it was waiting for me to get inside. 

    I wave back halfheartedly, stepping off the sidewalk and into the vast parking lot filled with beat-up cars and hogs. The usual pack of greasers stood around their trucks and talked, smoking cigarettes and laughing. 

    Carolyn still stands at the door, a wide smile on her face. 

   I wondered if behind that cheery demeanor she knew how many times I'd lied to her. 

    "We're comin' from the same place I don't know how I always get here before you..." Carolyn elbows me playfully in the arm. "Let's get going, what do ya' say?"

    "Alright." I leaned into the bathroom door to get changed. "Ain't got nothin' better to do..." 

    "That's the spirit!" She giggles, and the door cuts off the rest of her merry voice. 

   Running my fingers through the grease-stained list of work for the week, I found that today I was waiting tables. 

   Always waiting tables.  

  "That was fast." Carolyn says, handing me my apron. "What do you have today?" 

   "Tables." I reply, shoving straws and a pen into the tiny pockets. 

    "Again?" 

     "Yep." I wave her off to the kitchen. "Get to work." 

      She rolls her eyes, jokingly. "Same to you." 

      The first table I come to holds a family of four, trying their best to be polite with two squirmy, squalling children in the booth. 

    "Four Jay's classics, please." The father says with a long, hefty sigh. 

     I nod, walking back to the kitchen to hand the order in. 

     I figured it was a good thing that I was distracted from the tricks my mind seemed to love to play on me. I knew they wouldn't go away, but they'd be numbed for a few hours. 

     Walking to the next table, I force a smile on my face. 

    This wasn't too hard...