Hawaii and Rolling Stones

“Excuse me, dear. I didn’t mean to be eavesdropping,” the grey haired lady interrupted.

The diner was more crowded than usual this Saturday morning. Every booth and table was filled with families with young children or groups of teenagers or old senior citizen couples. Breanna and Alivia had been forced to sit at the counter. The two friends had been meeting for breakfast once a week since junior high school. College and work sometimes made the meals short and sweet, but they made time for one another.

Maple syrup, french toast, pancakes, and coffee aromas mixed in the air like the omelettes they served on platters big enough to feed a family of four. You always needed a box for leftovers that you knew you would either forget on the table or push to the back of the refrigerator and never eat. 

Red mushroom topped stools lined the counter like buttons on a blouse. Each stool perfectly spaced from the next, allowing enough elbow room, yet still adequate for a couple to have a quiet conversation. An uninterrupted conversation. 

“You want a refill?” the coffee pot hovered over Breanna’s thick white mug on the pea soup formica counter. 

“Yeah, thanks Lou,” she said with a thin smile. 

Lou turned to Alivia, “You all set with your water or do you want some of the real stuff today?”

Alivia just smiled and shook her head as Lou giggled at her own joke and sauntered away with her coffee pot in one hand and a towel for spills in the other. If she wasn’t always poking fun at the customers and laughing at them as she poured, she probably wouldn’t spill so much and need that cloth with her all the time. 

“Does she think she is being flirty? Funny? Amusing? Breanna asked. “What’s her deal?”

“Whatever. Listen. I’ve got to tell you about last week’s meeting. You won’t even believe what Mr. Charney has started doing now. He has these little stopping points in his presentations, where he like asks us questions. He wants to make sure we are listening to him or paying attention or something. If we get the answer right we get a coupon for a coffee from the cafeteria. If we don’t answer any questions during the presentation at all, we have to take a quiz before we leave! If we fail the quiz, we have to read his presentation notes and then meet with him to take an oral test one on one. It’s so humiliating. Who does he think he is? Why does he treat us like we are his kids? Does he really think we aren’t listening to him? For real? Are you even listening to me?”

Breanna was staring at Alivia and trying hard not to laugh. Each week she had a new boss story that topped that last week’s. This one really seemed to win the award. “You are telling me, a room filled with adults, grown ups, have to be tested to make sure they are listening? Has anyone told him to make his presentations more interesting? More engaging? Wait, did you fail the test and have to re-take? Is that what is really going on here? You didn’t get a coffee coupon for crappy cafeteria coffee?”

A slow red rash crawled up Alivia’s neck as she turned slowly away on the red stool. 

“Aha! I knew it! You were just humiliated! You were daydreaming when you should have been listening to the presentation. Busted!”

Just then a large plate filled with homefries cut into perfect squares, lightly toasted wheat bread, and a fluffy yellow omelette was slid in front of one and a stack of cinnamon swirl pancakes with a side of maple syrup and a tub of butter was placed in front of the other. Both girls inhaled and sighed deeply. “Thanks, Lou. This looks amazing, as always.”

“Need any refilling?” she hovered, expectantly. Her red lips and white teeth smiled at them.

“Not right now, thanks!” Breanna said, picking up her fork to dig in.

The diner hummed with other patrons. Children dropped forks and spilled milk. Waitresses rushed about with smiles and trays. Couples held hands and stared into each other’s eyes. Groups of teenagers laughed and occasionally shouted out just a bit too loud and needed a look to remind them to quiet down so everyone could hear the country music playing over the speakers. Toby was trying to talk about you, or about himself maybe?

As soon as their crumpled napkins lay on their plates, Lou appeared. “Need anything?”

“Nothing right yet, for me,” Alivia said with a roll of her eyes.

Breanna said, “I’d love a refill if you wouldn’t mind, thanks.” She gave a look at her friend that said, stop it!

“Hey, I’ve been thinking…” Breanna started.

Alivia cringed. She knew that tone. Whenever her long time friend started in on a conversation using that tone, she knew it was going to be one of two things. Expensive or a guilt trip. Or sometimes both. Granted, Breanna’s ideas were usually great ideas. Their trip to Hawaii last year had been lovely - that had been expensive. 

However, when Alivia blew off her cousin’s wedding to go to a Rolling Stones tour. She told her cousin that she was away for a work weekend and couldn’t make it. Breanna tried to post a picture of the two of them at the concert, Alivia had to come clean. Now she can’t get no satisfaction from listening to the Rolling Stones. Even though she may try and try. She just can’t get no satisfaction. But the concert had been Breanna’s idea. She could not have said no to her best friend. Now the Rolling Stones were synonymous with guilt in her mind. 

“Why are you making that face?” Breanna said. “Are you feeling okay?”

Alivia worked to unwrinkle her forehead and lift the corners of her mouth. What face? No resting bitch face here! Maybe she can say she is ill and run away before she hears anymore? Oh, just spit it out woman! Why are you just sitting there looking at me! Oh, she’s waiting for an answer. “I’m fine. Just got lost thinking about our trip to Hawaii and then the Rolling Stones concert. But please, continue. This is my new active listening face. I’ve been practicing for meetings. Go on. I’m all ears.”

“Okay...um, right. Okay. So,” Breanna’s voice drops to a near whisper. “Look at Lou’s shoes.”

Alivia is more than confused, “Lou’s shoes?” she said.

“Shhh! She’s right there,” Breanna said. “Just look at how worn out and old they are. Her feet have to be killing her with all the time she spends on her feet all day. Plus, I swear I saw her the other day at The Thrifty Shopper when I was donating some old sweaters. She wasn’t there making a donation herself.”

Alivia’s eyebrows raised into her hair line as she took in the situation. “Wait, doesn’t Lou have kids? I always thought she was related to the owner or worked here because she liked to work here or…”

Breanna and Alivia sat and watched Lou for a few minutes. She flitted from table to booth to counter. She always had a smile and a “What can I get for you?” for everyone. Somehow she made everyone in the diner feel like she was there for just them. She was there to make certain that their breakfast experience was perfect and their coffee was always perfectly hot. Her mug wasn’t just half full; it was completely full. 

It wasn’t long before the girls devised a plan. They were going to start with new shoes for Lou, and it had them going through their own closets looking for more items to donate, asking friends for toys and clothes for Lou’s children, and even contacting the local grocery store for a gift card for food. They were feeling charitable and satisfied with their idea. They felt certain that there was never a more deserving person than Lou. She always seemed to give without giving. “This is way better than a trip to Hawaii!” Alivia smiled.

“I know, right? It just feels good. I can’t wait to see the look on Lou’s face!” Breanna said.

“Ahem,” a gravelly voice interrupted the girls. “I didn’t mean to be eavesdropping, but I was. These stools are just too close together and my ears aren’t fading as quickly as my eyesight, or my hearing aides are just that good!” She gave the girls a wicked smile that the girls just couldn’t resist returning.

“I think what you girls are thinking of doing is so kind,” the old woman said.

“Well, we felt we needed to do something for the poor woman. She’s on her feet all day and she seems to be working every time we are in here. I don’t know how she does it with kids,” Alivia said, standing up and putting on her jacket.

Breanna agreed, also standing up, “Yeah, it’s the least we can do after she brings us food every Saturday. It will make up for all those times we shorted her on tips when we didn’t bring enough cash!”

As the girls walked out the door they waved to the old woman. The grey haired woman turned back to her coffee mug on the counter. “Imagine that, a trip to Hawaii and a Rolling Stones concert! I wonder if Lou will bring me with her.”