Tortured Souls and other stories

The Diner

Oh boy it's going to be a long night, I thought.  I still have 6 hours left before I reach Charleston.  I am meeting an old college friend there for the weekend.  My eyes are drawn to a blue rickety diner sign on the side of the road.  Its open 24 hours, next exit.  My stomach growls and I desperately need some strong coffee so I pull off the highway and find a parking spot on the side of the diner.

              It's fairly busy for this time the night, hoping the food is decent, I go inside.  A waitress directs me to a booth and hands me a menu.  I pass by a cute blonde sitting alone at the main counter on a stool.  She is wearing a light blue summer dress and some type of perfume I have never smelled before, it reminds me of the sweet ocean air with something musky mixed in.  It’s captivating but I try to put it out of my mind and take a seat. She is probably waiting for her boyfriend to show up or something anyway.

This place needs some serious updating.  It’s stuck back in the 1960’s, or so it seems to me.  Red vinyl seats and white laminate tables.  There was even a mini jukebox at the table. I remember my mom telling me about them when I was little.  I put in a quarter and selected C4 the Beatles “A Hard Day’s Night”, it seems like an appropriate title for my trip tonight.  As I waited for the song to play I gazed at the menu.  My decision is already made though as something tells me to order the pancakes and bacon.  Anyway it’s hard to screw that up anywhere, I think chuckling to myself.

I look up at the blonde, she is really attractive and still all alone.  I can't take my eyes off of her.

"What can I get for you honey?" The waitress startles me.

"Hmm, I'll have pancakes and bacon with orange juice and coffee please."

"Ok I will put that right on for you."

"Thank you ma'am".

As the waitress heads back the kitchen I look back at the mysterious blonde, she is staring back at me.  Our eyes lock together and time seems to stand still.  She smiles at me, gets up and comes over. 

“Hi, sorry to intrude, but it’s funny you ordered the exact same thing as I did a few minutes ago.”

“Yes that’s a funny coincidence.  It honestly just came to me out of the blue.”  I said and we both giggled.

“Do you mind if I join you?  I mean if you’re not expecting anyone?”

“Oh well no I….”

“No, ok.”  She cut me off and sighed, her eyes darted to the ground.

“You cut me off too quickly!  I mean yes I am here alone, please join me.  My name is Josh by the way.”  I said reaching out to shake her silky soft hand.

“Nice to meet you Josh, I’m Frances.”  She said sitting down.  She looked at me with her dark green eyes. They sparkled and I couldn’t break away from her stare.  I was in some kind of trance.

Just then “A Hard Day’s Night” finally started playing over the speakers above.  I snapped out of it.   

“I put that song on a while ago.  This place is cool, it seems to be stuck back in the 60’s.” I said.

“I love the Beatles!  My dad used to play for me when I was younger.  This place is quirky and the food is good, I come in once a week when I don’t want to cook.  How did you find your way here?”

“I am headed to see a friend in Charleston.  I saw a sign on the highway so I stopped here to have some dinner and coffee. You come in here once a week?  So I take it you live around here?”