Party trick

The man stares at the piece of paper confused and in dismay. His rent’s due, and he can barely pay it off. He’s been getting fewer hours weekly at work, due to the lack of customers at the barn, a local restaurant, where timothy waiters. An alarm snaps him back to reality, as his phone, across his bedroom reminds him of what is keeping him afloat. He sighs and then with the snap of his fingers, the alarm stops. Jumping out of bed the man waves two fingers, the index, and middle fingers, and his closet door swings open. Swiftly he gets changed into his uniform, black pants, and a dark gray shirt, with a cow at the top right corner of the shirt.

3:55 pm his phone reads as he parks his beat-up grey 2007 Honda civic in the barns parking lot. He opens his glove box and reaches for a cigarette, upon grabbing it timothy takes a couple of deep breaths breaks it, and throws it out the window. He then reaches for the entire box of cigarettes and turns off the car, with the box still in his hands he leaves the car walks up to the garbage right beside the entrance to the barn, and tosses them in.

“Hey Brandon, is Dave in today,” Timothy asks

“Yea but Kate’s in his office talking to him” Brandon responds

“Oh about what,” timothy asks

“More hours, oh shit is that what you’re asking about too,” says Brandon

“shit” timothy mutters

Kate comes out of the door with a look of disappointment written all over her face. Eyes glued to the floor and head down at shoulders, she drags her feet behind her, lost in thought. Timothy taps her on the shoulder bringing her back to reality she looks up a little teary-eyed and smiles fake or not it always brightens Timothy’s days as he smiles back.

“You okay?” Timothy asks

“Yea I’m fine,” she says defeatedly

Timothy isn’t buying it though, as he glances directly into her eyes and she struggles to look him in the eye. Kate is a brutally honest person, one good glance at her and you can tell exactly how she’s feeling. A question might accidentally spill too much and if she’s feeling bad and you look at her for too long she might cry because she sees her reflection deep in the viewer’s eyes and no one ever wants to see themselves in a bad position.

“Wanna go grab drinks after, on me?” timothy asks

“Sure, but I’ll pay for myself” she replies

“But-“ Timothy says

“But what, don’t you also have to talk to Dave,” kate says cutting him off

 The day isn’t busy as usual, it’s been like this for the last couple of months. The staff watch from the back as they hope for more people to serve. A bell dings everyone’s attention immediately at the door as a group of 12 middle-aged adults walks in, 7 guys and 5 girls. They dressed in office casuals, button-up shirts, and dress pants, the ladies with skirts instead of pants. The waiters all glance back at Dave as he sticks his head out of his office to peek at the crowd.

“Kate, timothy, you guys get it,” Dave says.

Their solemn face brightens up, as their cheeks rise, and a smile forms. Timothy and Kate begin counting down from 60 as soon as the group finishes seating down. In an attempt to not seem desperate, but not seem slow. Immediately at 1 second they both instinctively clear their throats and head out, in syn almost like a performance.

“Hello, fine ladies and gents, maybe not so fine” Kate jokes. The guys giggle and the girls laugh a little too loud.

“Welcome to the barn, I’m Kate and this handsome man next to me is timothy here are our menus,” Kate says as both she and john hand out menus all around the biggest table in the house

 “Anything to drink” timothy chimes

Timothy and Kate exchange glances, as the group individually orders expensive drinks one by one, they can both anticipate a ginormous tip. With each glance came a look of shock and a bigger smile. Swiftly they make their way to the bar and grab all the drinks at once, that way the group could all start drinking together.

“so, did you all just get back from the office,” Kate asks curiously, as they serve the drinks to the group. Timothy glares at her, and she shrugs her shoulder back at him the group smiles and seems ready to entertain.

“Magic,” Jacob says

Kate takes a glance at timothy, he stares at her with a little shock in his eyes but then they quickly move their attention back to the group.

“We’re performers, we go around entertaining big groups today we were at a big office so we dressed to suit.” Emma chimes.

“You’d be surprised the amount of big people that like this shit, and they pay big bucks” Thomas adds, the group all chuckled agreeing with their big smiles.

“So did you guys like set up some tables and just put on a show,” timothy asks curiously.

Jacob gets up with a smile, he pulls a napkin from the table then stuffs it in his hands then in Kate’s face he blows it. Kate’s eyes fill with excitement as he opens his hands, the napkin falls on the floor, and the group burst out laughing. Her excitement dies as she realizes she was the bud of the joke.

“Check your pocket,” Jacob says.

She looks quickly, to find a napkin in her pocket, and her jaw drops as she unravels it. a note in it reading got you now her jaw all the way to the floor. she looks down, the original napkin that just fell now gone. Timothy clears his throat bringing her back to reality. She smiles, trying to wipe the look of shock written all over her face.

“We don’t need a stage,” Jacob says.

“You guys hiring” Kate jokes.

“We’re always looking to expand as far as you got what it takes” Natalie replies

“Show us something” Emma chimes.

“Yea show them anything, it’s fine,” Timothy says

Kate glances at timothy with a questionable face, and he winks at her. she grabs a napkin, and she stuffs in it her palm mimicking Jacob’s trick. She joins her palms, with a big grin on her face. She winks over at timothy signaling him.

“Guess this trick guys,” Timothy asserts.

“Is it gonna disappear?” Thomas says sarcastically.

Her face is suddenly in awe, she loosens her grip on her palm almost as though she’s holding a fragile thing, her mouth wide open, her face catches the group’s eyes, and they all glare at her palms. She lets go and a dove flies out of her hands. The look of shock all over everyone’s faces, as they watch the dove fly into another napkin that’s being held by timothy.

“We’re heading to the bar after our shift if you guys want to talk business,” he says.