Sal's Paradise Cafe

I first met Dean at Sal's Paradise Cafe, the local diner, in what was the closest thing to a skid row as there was in those parts. I had more time than money on my hands, so I was nursing a tepid cup of coffee and pretending to read the tattered travel guide I'd been carrying around for years when he walked in and took the seat next to me. Carla, the waitress, took a halfhearted swipe of the counter in front of him with a damp rag and put down a paper place mat with a cartoon map of the neighborhood and list of local businesses around the edges, most of which were defunct. Places didn't stay open for long around there. That is, except for Sal's. It had been there as long as anyone could remember and Carla had been there for most of it.

“Coffee, hon?” she asked him as he eased out of his leather jacket and took a look around the place. I barely registered.

“Sure, luv.”

She pulled a mug out from below the counter, poured it to the rim, and set it in front of him. I raised my half-empty cup in her direction, but she just glared at me and put the pot back on the warmer. There was a chipped ceramic bowl half full of creamers next to me that didn't look like I'd be using, so I pushed them his way. He grunted a thanks as he pulled a couple sugar packets from the box and started to shake them back and forth.

“You ever been to any of those places?” he asked, nodding his head towards the book sitting next to me.

“What? No. Would if I could, though”, I answered. “You?”

“Yeah. A few. Just passing through. You know where a guy can stay around here?” he asked.

Before I could answer, Carla came back and leaned on the counter in front of him. “You ready to order, hon?”

“The sausage, that links or patties?” he asked her.

She glanced back toward the griddle. “Links. You want some?”

“Yeah. Gimme two eggs over easy, an order of links and some toast.”

“White, wheat or rye?”

“White. No, wheat.” He looked over at me and shrugged. “Every little bit helps, right?”

I was still trying to think if I knew any crash pads when Carla returned with a steaming plate and plopped it down. He pulled the little sticker off his napkin / silverware set and dug in with gusto, hardly pausing to chew until he was wiping the last bit of egg yolk up with a corner of toast. He pushed his plate back and swiveled his stool a few degrees in my direction.

“Man, I love links”, he said as his tongue snaked out of his mouth and across his eyeball. We didn't get many Gorgolians around here, so the display was a bit unsettling. Actually, we didn't get much of anyone around here except for the occasional supply ship or dealer peddling Old Bull. Old Bull wasn't my thing. Too out there. I liked staying in control of my senses, but I could understand the draw. What else was there to do in this shithole? If you couldn't take a real trip, at least you could take one in your mind. That's why I kept that travel guide with me for so long.

“Where you headed to next?” I asked him.

“West. There's a freighter leaving tomorrow and I plan on hitching a ride.”

“West, like Frisco?” I stammered.

He just laughed. “Nah. West like Alpha Polaris. Off world. Like I said, I'm just passing through.”

“Must be nice” I said, trying not to sound too envious.

“You should come. The Moriarty's always looking for extra hands. I can put in a good word with the captain. Can you cook? Clean?”

“Really?? You think they'd take me? I can't pay my way.”

“Pay? Hell, if you pull your own weight, they'll pay you. Isn't much, but that's not really the point, right? I take it you've never been off world?”

“I've never been off city”, I snorted.

“Man, you are in for something else, then. The blackest black you've ever seen. You get out there, it's like a hole opened up in all of creation and swallowed you whole. Your eye can't open wide enough to adjust. Any little speck of meteor dust looks like it's glowing brighter than a sun. Cats go crazy starring into it too long. Swear they see things moving around. But, man, there ain't nothing there, and I mean NOTHING. The void....” His voice drifted off.

I leaned over and extended a hand. “Name's Jack.”

“I'm Dean”, he said as we shook. “Pleasure.”

Carla walked back over with the coffee pot. “Need a refill?” she asked while starting to pour. She put his plate in the bin of soapy water and asked him if he wanted anything more.

“Wouldn't say no to a piece of lemon pie” he answered while slowing smoothing out his eyebrow with his tongue.

“Flirt” she laughed but I could see her tugging at her skirt hem as she walked over to the dessert case.

“Hey, it's not much, but you're welcome to spend the night at my place” I told him. I was nervous if I let him out of my sight, I'd never see him again and my one chance out of here would be gone.

He smiled. “That would be great. Don't need much.”

Carla came back with a slice of pie with a new packet of silverware. She dropped off my check for the coffee unceremoniously as she went past.

“Here, let me get that” he said, reaching over to snag it while my hand was rooting around in my pocket for loose change. You're putting me up. It's the least I can do.”

I would have argued, but I wasn't in much of a position. “The void”, I thought. Hell, I see that every time I open my wallet.

He'd finished his pie as quickly as the eggs and pushed a wad of small bills across the counter in Carla's direction. “You ready to go?”

I hopped up. “Yup! My place is right down the street.” I started making for the door.

“Hey, wait. Don't forget your “Hitchhiker's Guide” he said picking up the old book I'd left behind.

“Might come in handy out there.”