Van gets into his car and leaves his friend waving at the station, he has an odd feeling of deja vu, like its been a long time since he's seen his friend, even though they had just met up.. He shrugs the idea off and notices hes going out of his lane.
"Fuck!"
Van swerves back to avoid the car in the lane next to him, and straightens out. He proceeds to turn the radio on to calm his nerves.
"Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
here I am
Stuck in the middle with you"
The chorus plays in the car as Van starts tapping his hand on the wheel. He always turns on the oldies station when he wants to relax. It was what his dad used to listen to since he could remember. This song he especially liked, even though he never really had any idea who it was by. That wasn't important though, the song was doing what he wanted it to in this particular moment.
He drove into the parking lot of Pie and Burger, he didn't see Rachael's car so he figured he didn't have to be in a hurry. Stepping out of his car he lights a cigarette as he ponders the situation. He was not at all prepared to deal with what Cole laid out on him. Now he has a high paying client as well, who insists on being a supreme pain in the ass. He throws the butt on the ground and stomps it out with his foot. As he walks inside he sees the familiar face of Doris, the heavyset older woman who has been tending tables at the restaurant for years.
"How's it hangin' Doris?"
Van asked
"Hangin'? Honey, I hope you are referring to the effect that gravity has had on my tits and not implying that I have something between my legs that hangs. Either way, that's no means of addressing a lady even if she is a bit late in her years, no wonder I never see you bring a girlfriend in here!"
Said Doris with mounds of fake anger.
Van chuckled
"It's good to see you too Doris!'
Replied Van.
"Its been a while since I've seen your face in here young man, been busy I hope."
"Nah, not really Doris, the opposite actually, business has been real slow until today, I feel like I've had Fat Man and Little Boy dropped on me today."
Van said with a smirk
"Aren't you Japanese Van?"
asked Doris
"My point exactly."
Van noticed that his joke went completely over her head, that's ok, he thought, his sense of humor is lost on a lot of people and he knew this.
"What about you Doris? I see you're still working at this place."
Van uttered smugly.
"You and I both know that I am going to die here, older, grayer and alone."
Doris said laughing.
"Yeah I know I just wanted to hear you say it."
They both start laughing at that comment, as the front door opens and a new guest walks in.
"Hey, I've never seen her around here, what about you Van?"
"Nope, partially because this is her first time here, she's my date."
"Date? Ok, looks like I spoke too soon earlier, she's quite the looker, she could have given me a run for my money in my twenties."
Doris says musingly.
"When was that? The 1920's?"
Van answers
"If you didn't tip well so I would get Jimmy back there to grab his cleaver and teach you a lesson in manners young man."
"You enjoy our conversations as much as I do Doris, you would miss me too much."
She laughs
"You will never hear me say that."
Rachael Valentine walks up to the bar where Van is seated and takes a seat next to him.
"Hello there, can I get you a cup of coffee to start."
Van sees Doris offer her usual half bored coffee greeting and smile.
"No thank you, water will be just fine, I try not to drink too much caffeine"
Rachael answers somewhat timidly.
"Well miss Valentine, lets get down to business"
"Fuck!"
Van swerves back to avoid the car in the lane next to him, and straightens out. He proceeds to turn the radio on to calm his nerves.
"Clowns to the left of me
Jokers to the right
here I am
Stuck in the middle with you"
The chorus plays in the car as Van starts tapping his hand on the wheel. He always turns on the oldies station when he wants to relax. It was what his dad used to listen to since he could remember. This song he especially liked, even though he never really had any idea who it was by. That wasn't important though, the song was doing what he wanted it to in this particular moment.
He drove into the parking lot of Pie and Burger, he didn't see Rachael's car so he figured he didn't have to be in a hurry. Stepping out of his car he lights a cigarette as he ponders the situation. He was not at all prepared to deal with what Cole laid out on him. Now he has a high paying client as well, who insists on being a supreme pain in the ass. He throws the butt on the ground and stomps it out with his foot. As he walks inside he sees the familiar face of Doris, the heavyset older woman who has been tending tables at the restaurant for years.
"How's it hangin' Doris?"
Van asked
"Hangin'? Honey, I hope you are referring to the effect that gravity has had on my tits and not implying that I have something between my legs that hangs. Either way, that's no means of addressing a lady even if she is a bit late in her years, no wonder I never see you bring a girlfriend in here!"
Said Doris with mounds of fake anger.
Van chuckled
"It's good to see you too Doris!'
Replied Van.
"Its been a while since I've seen your face in here young man, been busy I hope."
"Nah, not really Doris, the opposite actually, business has been real slow until today, I feel like I've had Fat Man and Little Boy dropped on me today."
Van said with a smirk
"Aren't you Japanese Van?"
asked Doris
"My point exactly."
Van noticed that his joke went completely over her head, that's ok, he thought, his sense of humor is lost on a lot of people and he knew this.
"What about you Doris? I see you're still working at this place."
Van uttered smugly.
"You and I both know that I am going to die here, older, grayer and alone."
Doris said laughing.
"Yeah I know I just wanted to hear you say it."
They both start laughing at that comment, as the front door opens and a new guest walks in.
"Hey, I've never seen her around here, what about you Van?"
"Nope, partially because this is her first time here, she's my date."
"Date? Ok, looks like I spoke too soon earlier, she's quite the looker, she could have given me a run for my money in my twenties."
Doris says musingly.
"When was that? The 1920's?"
Van answers
"If you didn't tip well so I would get Jimmy back there to grab his cleaver and teach you a lesson in manners young man."
"You enjoy our conversations as much as I do Doris, you would miss me too much."
She laughs
"You will never hear me say that."
Rachael Valentine walks up to the bar where Van is seated and takes a seat next to him.
"Hello there, can I get you a cup of coffee to start."
Van sees Doris offer her usual half bored coffee greeting and smile.
"No thank you, water will be just fine, I try not to drink too much caffeine"
Rachael answers somewhat timidly.
"Well miss Valentine, lets get down to business"
