These Words that Describe Melissa

"Centred"

This was an odd place to find her. Truly was.

Melissa with all her ragged edges seeming to be at peace inside a movie theatre, wearing the purple and silver shirt, wearing the cap,pulling a lever down on the popcorn maker, darting back over to the till to take someone's money.

Yvonne and I went down there to see her – and to see the latest Star Trek movie. I was there in part to laugh, in part to support and congratulate, in part just to see.

Yvonne tilted her head onto her shoulder: "I think she's having fun."

"She's tied her hair back." I tilted my head the opposite way, so that my hair touched and mingled with Yvonne's. Her hand strayed into my jeans pocket, and mine slid comfortably around her waist.

"She has. She looks..."

"...different."

Her hair: the way her mum and dad would like it, all pulled away from her face, held in place with neat, shiny clips.

#

She caught up with us after the end of her shift, and we slunk away to the cafe over the road. It was close to midnight, but this place was an all-nighter, serving curly fries and jumbo sausage rolls into the small hours. It was hard to get used to this Melissa, the one in the bulky, striped uniform.

"Brings out your eyes," I offered.

And Yvonne rolled hers: "Lame."

Melissa sucked on the twin straws connecting her to her thick peach smoothie. "It's a job," she said.

"The pay must be crap."

"Kinda."

"But you looked like you were having fun."

She considered that. It was something akin to a revelation. "Did I?"

"Yes. Oddly."

"I think I was."

"It's permitted." Even for you."

"You just don't have to take it that seriously. Nothing matters. Well, it does... but not really. It's hard to explain..."

"No, I think I get it."

"You think I'm a big loser?"

"Of course I don't. I think your mum might lay an egg though."

She smiled. Satisfied, is what I would have called that smile. And maybe I should have felt as if that was somehow mean, vindictive, whatever. I might have. If I didn't also sense that weight she wasn't carrying around on her shoulders just now. She looked like a person who'd found her place in the world.

#

"She'll get bored," Yvonne predicted.

"You think?"

"It's a boring job."

"But peaceful, and busy, all in one."

"Mr philosopher." And she rolled her eyes. It was just a little bit irritating the way she always did that.

I shrugged my shoulders. "Happy is happy."