The staff – what there was of it – was very friendly, which made Ralph feel as if he was almost back in the old neighborhood, before he went off to college, before the career, marriage and kids, suburbia and commuting to the city...
The
waitress, Sadie, was pleasant enough but Ralph detected something familiar about
her. He knew he hadn't met her before, but there was something about this woman
that touched him deeply. As he savored his food, she approached with tea pitcher
in hand and a smile on her face. And it was a lovely face. Sadie's youthful good looks
belied her years – fifty-four to be exact. Sure, the body was a tad heavy, but that
pronounced
hourglass figure perhaps hinted at what she may have looked like ten, twenty
years ago. Her skin was flawless, the color of satiny smooth caramel. The eyes
were still had the spark of youth, and they suggested beyond the usual, "More sweet tea,
honey?"
That mouth, those plump, full glossy lips seemed ready to deliver a big
juicy kiss or belt out a sultry song. There was a definite sway in the walk
– what Ralph's grandmother used to call "wiggle walking" – that suggested
she might have been a hooker or stripper if she wasn't waiting tables. She
smiled at Ralph and refilled his tea glass. The voice was as smooth and deep as
the ocean, as sultry as the hottest summer night. No, thought Ralph, this woman
is no hoochie; she's obviously a single mother working her butt off to feed her
kids. Why am I thinking she's anything but that?
"Everything tasting good, sweetie?" Sadie's smile wouldn't quit as she tried to make small talk. Ralph, ever so glad he came to this place, said, "Yes...," he glanced at her name badge. "Yes, Sadie. These are the best greens I've ever had. Even better than my grandma's."
Sadie tossed her head and laughed out loud. "Don't let her hear you say that, baby!"
Then she left him to attend to other customers. All the while eating his meal, Ralph couldn't get over how Sadie sang along to almost every song emanating from the jukebox. That woman sure can sing, but where have I seen her before?
******
"Hey, Sadie! Can you get me some more cornbread?"
"Sadie,
pick up on #4!"
"Lookin' good, Sadie!"
It was like that the entire forty-five minutes of Ralph's lunch 'hour'. As he lingered over a slice of excellent chess pie and a cup of the best coffee he ever had, Ralph took in Sadie's presence, her easy rapport with the customers, all the while battling that question: "Where have I seen her before?"
Just as Ralph finished his pie and prepared to
leave, two more customers entered the diner. The man, named Eddie, called out to
Sadie, "Hey, girl! What's shakin'?"
Sadie smiled and laughed, replying, "Not
much, Eddie. How you doin'?" She acknowledged the presence of the woman who
entered, saying with utmost politeness, "Hi, Miss Dinah."
Ah, so "Miss Dinah" is
the owner of this fab eatery. Ralph, mindful of the time, had to compliment this
woman for a most memorable meal, not to mention the fantastic service. Dinah
Morgan, a large handsome woman in her early sixties, opened the diner twenty
years ago. Renown for her famous culinary skills, Dinah once worked as a caterer
to the city's upper-class folks. That would be bank presidents, judges,
politicians, company CEOs, other well-heeled professionals who were particular
about good food and entertained freely and lavishly. After her husband passed,
her clientele dying off, and the emergence of competing catering firms, Dinah
decided to open the diner. It served the best soul food in town, received rave
reviews from influential restaurant critics, and even got featured on Food TV.
She swam through the diner, inspected the diner's general cleanliness, kept tabs
on daily sales.
Ralph, donning his coat, walked over to the cash register to pay
his bill. Momentarily, he studied Dinah who busied herself totaling up the
morning's sales. He hesitated a bit, then said as Sadie graciously rang up his
bill. Putting change into his hand, she said, "Thank you. You come back, and
have a nice day."
"I will," Ralph said, stuffing the change into his coat
pocket. His eyes shifted from Sadie's beautiful face to Dinah's commanding form.
Before turning to leave, he said, "This is a great place. I don't usually eat
the down-home stuff. My doctor and wife won't let me indulge in it too much. But
I must say the food here is top drawer in my book, so is the service."
Dinah looked up from her work, replying, "Why, thank you, honey. And don't worry about not being able to have good ol' soul food every now and then. I got sugar, so I have to watch what I eat, but moderation is my motto."
Ralph smiled and bid the ladies a good afternoon. As he prepared to exit the
diner, he overheard Leroy the cook say, "Hey, Sadie! There's your song on the
jukebox."
Something made Ralph retrace his steps, make his way to the jukebox, scan the
numbers of the songs. He noticed #212 was currently playing. Yes, it did sound
somewhat familiar, a song from his parents' day. His eyes scanned the list of
records, lighted upon #212, then grew wide with astonishment. He glanced at
Sadie who was busy taking and serving orders. Then he looked at the song's title
and artist:
"Rough Love" ~ Tangia
Tangia...Didn't Dad have one of her albums? The one Mom wouldn't let me listen to because she said it wasn't fit for kids? Come to think of it, it was said Tangia herself was too hot for her time...Hmm...Wonder what caused her to end up waiting tables? Ralph, once outside, couldn't get the song out his head – that sexy thumping beat, the naughty lyrics, the almost orgasmic moaning and growling... Back at the office, when he got the chance, logged on the Internet, then Googled "Tangia". What he found...
"Oh my God!," he whispered, not wanting
his secretary or passing co-workers to overhear, "Sadie Cooper is – was – Tangia...Now, what happened to force her to take a minimum wage job? Okay...this
page should tell me...Oh my God...Tell me this didn't happen!"
TO BE CONTINUED...Go to Chapter 2
Copyright©2005 by P.R. Parker. All Rights Reserved.