Refill

“... Hey, Sarah.”

“... Hi. How are you?”

“I’m, uh… you know. I’m ok. I’m… Yeah. You?”

“Good, good, I’m… I’m good.”

“Good, that’s-”

“Yeah.”

“-that’s good.”

“Yup.”

“... Can I sit here?”

“Oh my gosh, yes, I’m so sorry! I- Please, please-”

“Hey, it’s fine-”

“-yes, sit, sit-”

“-it’s a… unprecedented-”

“-sit down.”

“-situation, I ‘spose. Um-”

“I already ordered. I hope that’s ok.”

“Yeah, of course, that’s totally fine-”

“I’m just- I’m starving, and I couldn’t wait any longer.”

“No, no, I get it, I would have done the same. Probably not gonna get anything anyway. Sorry for being late, by the way. There was a wreck on the highway, and people just wouldn’t stop slowing down to look at it.”

“Oh wow, that’s terrible.”

“I know, right? Someone gets hurt, and your response is to just gawk? How wrong is that? Some people, geez.”

“Oh, I didn’t- I wasn’t talking about that. I actually kind of understand that part. I meant the accident itself, I hope no one was seriously-”

“Really? You don’t think that’s kind of, I don’t know- messed up?”

“... I think morbid curiosity is pretty natural, Darren. I’m not saying it’s not… Well, I mean it’s called ‘morbid curiosity’ for a reason, but it’s still natural, still normal. I don’t think it’s necessarily fair to judge people for it, either.”

“Wow, that didn’t take long.”

“What? Don’t act like that, it’s not-”

“Hasn’t even been five minutes and we’re already talking about what’s wrong with me.”

“I just said it wasn’t fair to judge them, Darren, for fu-”

“I wasn’t judging them, I was just-”

“You literally just did, you literally talked about strangers like they were bad people, like you were better than them. What else would you call that but ‘judging,’ Darren?”

“Fine! Fine. Let’s just go ahead and say you win, and get this one over with. How ‘bout that? Just add it to all your other ‘victories.’”

“...”

“I hate it when you roll your eyes like that. Makes you look like a child.”

“...”

“Hello sir, how ya doing today? Do you need a menu?”

“Uh, no. No, thank you. I’m fine with water.”

“Sure thing. Be right back with that.”

“Thanks.”

“Uh-huh.”

“...”

“... I’m sorry.”

“... It’s fine.”

“No, it’s… it’s not. I don’t know why I’m always… Why I’ve been so-”

“Here ya go!”

“Oh! Thank you.”

“Uh-huh. Getcha anything else?”

“No, I’m- this is perfect. I’m on a diet! Heh. Ahem.”

“... Right. You doing ok, honey? Those eggs alright?”

“They’re delicious, thank you so much.”

“‘Course, dear. You holler if you need anything else.”

“I will, thank you.”

“Uh-huh.”

“...”

“He’s a lively one.”

“Uh, Darren... I’m pretty sure she’s a she.”

“What? No way! That’s a dude.”

“See, there you go: judging people again.”

“Oh, my- I wasn’t judging, Sarah! There’s no possible way that dude- you know what? I’ll prove it. Next time he comes back around-”

“And I’m the child.”

“-call him over, and take a look at his nametag. I guar-an-tee… he’ll have a dude’s name.”

“...” 

“Oh please, don’t look-”

“Did you bring the papers or not?”

“...”

“... Well?”

“... Yeah. I did. They’re in my jacket pocket.”

“O-kay… Did you sign them?”

“... Sarah, this can’t be-”

“I swear, Darren.”

“Hey, come on-”

“No, Darren! No… There isn’t some… some final argument you can make to make me change my mind. How many times do you want to keep going over the same thing, to keep having the same fight?”

“...”

“What’re you even going to say? What point could you possibly bring up after misgendering our server, and condemning rubberneckers on the freeway, that would paint you in a better light?”

“...”

“Hmm?”

“...”

“No funny quip? Nothing snarky to say? I’m surprised you don’t even have some- some… barbed joke lined up, ready to fire at me and make you seem just… oh-so-smart. But no. No, I think you maybe… maybe you finally realize how much in the wrong you are, Darren, that it’s not even about being wrong, just… being good, being a better person, and that’s… that’s not what you are.”

“You’re saying I’m a bad person? You don’t think that’s a bit judgemental?”

“Nooo, I’m saying you’re not good.”

“Uh, same freakin’ thing, right?”

“... You know what? I’m really not in the mood for this. If you didn’t even sign the papers, I don’t even know what I’m doing here, and-”

“No no no no, that’s not one you can just back away from. You’re saying I’m a bad person? Explain that one to me. I’m curious. Quench that curiosity, alright?”

“... It’s ‘quell.’”

“Ah, so that’s it. I don’t words too good, huh?”

“... You’re like an empty glass, Darren. You have no natural sense of morality, no place on the scale, just a singular purpose: to be filled with liquid and carry it, and pass it on to the pourer, or… or whoever, really. But you’re empty. Just an empty glass, and I… I can see right through you.”

“...”

“You two still doing ok over here? You want the check, honey?”

“I’ll get it for her.”

“What-”

“Oh! Well, alrighty then. You need me to get more water, fill that up for you?”

“No, that’s alright, I’m good. Thank you.”

“Mkay, then. I’ll be right back with that check.”

“Thanks.”

“Thank you.”

“‘Course!”

“...”

“... You didn’t have to do that, Darren.”

“... I know.”

“... Thank you.”

“... You…”

“... I what?”

“...”

“What?”

“... You might… You might have a few points.”

“... Mmm.”

“I’m not exactly… I mean, you know I’m not good at taking criticism. Even from myself. That could be part of the problem, I guess. I’m not gonna… improve if I can’t admit… what’s wrong with me. The bad parts.”

“It’s not about-”

“I know, I know. It’s… I just think it probably actually is fair to call those parts about me bad. Or, you know, not bad… but… I don’t know, I can’t think of the right word. I mean, I can’t words too good, right?”

“Heh. Yeah.”

“... It’s good to see you smile.”

“... Yeah.”

“... I guess… I guess my point is that I… I know I can do better. I can be better.”

“...”

“I, uh… I want nothing more than to… to ask you to stick with me while I do that.”

“Darren-”

“But… I know that’s not… It wouldn’t be fair to ask you that. So… Here.”

“...”

“They’re signed.”

“... Thank you.”

“... You’re welcome.”

“...”

“Mkay, here ya go! Just come on up to the register whenever you’re ready to pay, ok?”

“Perfect, will do, thank you so much.”

“‘Course, sweetie, anytime. You two have a beautiful day now, ok? It’s gorgeous out there, you should try to get some of that sunshine.”

“Yeah, uh, we’ll try, thanks.”

“Uh-huh, buh-bye now.”

“...”

“Did you see his nametag?”

“... I saw her nametag. It said ‘Hydrangea.’”

“What the fu- what kind of name is that?!”

“I don’t know. The name of someone ready to take their improvement into their own hands, without letting the fear of others’ judgement get in their way?”

“... Oh. Right.”

“... Sorry. I don’t didn’t mean for that to sound so… harsh.”

“... S’fine.”

“But I can’t be the one to always help you reach those conclusions, to think about other people through a lens other than your own.”

“I know.”

“If you want to be better, you have to be the one to do it.”

“I know! I’m- I get it. Really. Thank you.”

“... You’re welcome.”

“... I mean it.”

“... Me too.”

“... I should probably go pay for this. Head out.”

“... Ok. Yeah, if that’s… If you’re ready.”

“... Think so... It was good to see you, Sarah.”

“... You too.”

“... You take care of yourself. Ok?”

“I will. And you too. Really.”

“... I’ll try my best.”

“... I love you.”

“... Love you, too.”

“... Goodbye, Darren.”

“... Goodbye, Sarah.”