A Night at the Diner

"Refill?" the bartender asked the man sitting by himself. The bartender was old and bald, but the white employee's cap gave the illusion of graying hair from a distance. He was wearing a white coat similar to what you'd see in a laboratory.

"Oh, yes, please," the man said timidly. He already felt he was tipsy, but he needed a distraction from prior events. The man was wearing a simple blue-green coat and a beige fedora hat. He seemed to anyone looking through the window of the bar area to be either deep in thought or depressed. He very rarely raised his head to see anything but the counter. However, any passers-by walking outside the window of the bar at exactly 9:17 PM could see the man looked up once to survey a plaque on the wall. It read "la gentilezza degli estranei non deve essere trascurata." The man had no clue what it meant; however, living in New York City had made him accustomed to Italian exposure.

"I like your hat!" a woman sitting across the bar exclaimed suddenly. The man was startled at her sudden outburst.

"Umm... thank you." He didn't look up at the woman.

"What's your name?" the woman asked sincerely.

"Robert." He finally looked up. He really didn't feel like talking to this woman. She was dressed to celebrate with a fine bright red dress and permed red hair. Sitting next to her was what he assumed to be her boyfriend or husband. He was wearing a navy-blue suit with a black tie. He was also wearing a fedora-like hat, but it was more grayish-white with a black stripe.

"So, Robert, how do you do?" the woman asked politely.

"Well." Robert was getting angry that his refill still hadn't come yet. The bartender seemed to have disappeared.

"You look mighty lonely! You can talk to me and my husband, Mark!" The woman was obviously in dire need of social interaction. Robert had noticed her husband didn't talk much. "It's our 5th anniversary! I just had to come to Bickford's; it's the best diner in town!" She was clearly excited. "Me and Mark are polar opposites! He's so quiet! I'm surprised we're still together!" The woman began laughing and then saw her husband's dirty look. "Sorry, honey! I'm just teasing."

"Happy anniversary." Robert was indifferent to this woman and her husband.

"Why, thank you, Robert!" The woman began giggling, oblivious to Robert's not caring. "Oh, silly me! I didn't introduce myself!" The woman shook her head.

"What's your name, then?" Robert asked. One could tell by his tone that he really didn't care.

"My name is Sherry, pleased to meet you."

"We've already met." Robert was getting quite annoyed with her.

"Of course we have! That's right! Sorry, darling." She began giggling again. She took a swig of her drink and saw that it was already empty.

"My, I usually don't drink this much! I don't have much of a taste for alcohol, but since it's my anniversary, why not?" the woman asked rhetorically. "Now where did that bartender run off to? Mark, would you please go to the front of the diner and get me a refill?"

"Sure thing, Sherry." Mark got up and began walking to the seated area of the diner.

"Oh, and ask where that silly bartender is!"

"I will!" Mark shouted back.

As soon as Mark scampered off, Sherry continued the conversation."Now, Robert, enough about me. You look mighty sad. What's troubling you?"

"Oh, nothing. This is just how I normally look." Robert's sarcastic remark didn't sit well with Sherry.

"Now, I don't believe that for one second!"

"Look, Sherry -" Before Robert could say he didn't want to talk about it, Mark cut in.

"Sherry!" Mark appeared in front of his wife. Robert hadn't even seen him walk past.

"I got you your refill." Mark handed her the glass. "The bartender had a case of diarrhea; heard it's one hell of a case."

"Oh, dear. I hate diarrhea," Sherry shuttered. "Now, Mark, I was just asking Robert what's wrong. Don't he look forlorn?"

"You do look sad, friend." Mark looked Robert over. "Care to tell us what's on your mind?"

"Nothing. Personal matters." Robert wanted to get up and leave the conversation, but he knew Sherry wouldn't let him.

"Oh no, I'm sorry." Sherry had a concerned look on her face. "What's the matter in your personal life?"

"I -" Before Robert could finish, he was interrupted by the arrival of the bartender.

"Sorry, folks, I had to go to the restroom." The bartender seemed shaken. It must have been pretty bad diarrhea. Robert shuttered at the thought. "Oh, yes, that's right. I'll get you your refill, sir!" The bartender filled Robert's glass with the sparkly maple-colored liquid and set it down in front of him.

"Thank you." Robert was glad he finally got his refill. The bartender smiled and went to the opposite end of the bar. There seemed to be a large party.

"Robert," Sherry said. "What was it you were gonna say?"

"I - it's nothing. It's just... my brother." Robert didn't know where to start or how, so he decided to start with his brother, and what had happened to him.

"Dear God!" Sherry burst out. "What's the matter with him?"

"He had a terrible heart attack; he was taken to the hospital. We don't know if he'll live. I'm here after visiting him." Robert took a giant swig of his drink.

"Oh," Sherry said. She was clearly disturbed.

"I'm sorry about your brother," Mark cut in.

"Oh, I just feel terrible." Sherry shook her head. "Do you need money? We got money."

"Sherry! I'm really concerned about your spending..."

"Another time, Mark!" Sherry yelled at her husband. "Do you need money?" She repeated.

"No, no, I don't need any of that, but thank you." Robert didn't know how to feel about these two. He wanted to be alone, but at the same time, he was beginning to enjoy the company.

"Oh my God, Robert, darling..." Sherry was clearly running out of things to say.

"I know how you feel," Mark said suddenly.

"What do you mean?" Robert was genuinely curious now.

"Mark has a terrible story about his mother..." Sherry looked disturbed.

"I know... I know what it's like to have a loved one on the brink of death." Mark found the courage to say what he needed to say. "I remember when I was eight, my mom had a stroke. She was on the floor. I remember this... this glazed look in her eyes." Mark began to tear up.

"And my father... " Sherry shook her head in distress. "Oh, I hate telling this story."

Sherry mustered up the strength and spoke again. "My father, he... he got shot in our driveway right in front of me." Sherry began to tear up as well as she hugged her husband and held him close.

"I'm so sorry." Robert was shocked. He didn't know what to say to these extremely dark and terrible stories.

"My mother died a few hours after that, in the hospital." Tears began streaming down Mark's face.

"My father survived, but he was damn near paralyzed. He never acted the same way again." Sherry and Mark hugged again.

"Anyway, we - Me and Mark - know how you feel, Robert." Sherry wiped away tears.

"I haven't told you's guys this one thing..." Robert decided to keep nothing from these people. He was ready to talk about it.

"Oh, Robert! You can tell us!" Sherry pleaded.

"Let it out, man," Mark said.

Robert became overwhelmed with emotions and began to sob loudly. "I lost my father two weeks ago to cancer!"

"Darling." Sherry walked up to Robert and hugged him.

"And... and now I'm afraid I'll have to bury my brother!" Robert continued to cry into Sherry's shoulder.

"Come here, man." Mark walked up to Robert just as his wife did and he patted Robert on the back.

"Everything will be alright, darling. Everything will be alright." Sherry was humming a sweet tune that managed to help soothe Robert's pain.

"Oh, dear!" The bartender had returned to their part of the bar. He was quite puzzled to see Robert crying and the couple comforting him. "Are you alright?"

Robert got up and Sherry and Mark stood aside. The bartender looked concerned and uncomfortable at the same time. He was probably still having digestive issues.

"What's your name?" Robert randomly asked the bartender.

"Leslie, sir."

"Thank you, Leslie. I'll be fine," Robert said as he got a 5 dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to Leslie. Robert then turned to Sherry and Mark. "Thank you for what you've done for me."

"Why, Robert, it was nothing!" Sherry looked pleased.

"Yeah, Robert, just helping out another human being," added Mark.

"Enjoy the rest of your anniversary!" This time, Robert meant it.

"Thank you. We hope the best for you and your family." Sherry gave him a soft look. 

Robert nodded and began walking to leave when he looked back at Leslie who had just begun wiping glasses.

"Can I get another refill to go?"