THE BLUE GOOSE

by Kim Smith

The Blue Goose café was an experience in exploration with its checked curtains and moldy plastic tablecloths, worn from years of wiping by the waitresses. Those café matrons with teased and bleached hair, all dressed in similar pink shirts with nametags in the shape of eggs, darted from table to table like so many rabbits rushing around their burrows. Ours brought a laminated menu to us and stood at the ready with her pen in hand and smiled showing a gold tooth.

"What y'all want to drink?"

I looked at my companion and he told her to bring him coffee, decaf, with cream, as though there were any other kind. I waited for her to look at me before I asked in my most auspicious manner, "Do y'all have raspberry or strawberry lemonade?"

She laughed. "We got lemonade, but it ain't no flavored kind."

I knew the answer to my question would bring out the sunshine in her life, because I knew in my heart that lemonade in this town would not be flavored unless it was made at someone's house, or by a big name powdered soft drink company. I was always good for a laugh I had been told.

"Fine then, bring me tea. Sweet. No lemon."

She nodded her approval and sauntered off toward the bar, which protected the cook's sanctuary. The liquid refreshments were housed back there as well, and I licked my lips anticipating something cool to drink. The pause in activity at our table gave me time to watch what was going on at one nearby.

A man sat curled over his newspaper as though he was sitting in the outhouse. I giggled at the thought. He wore pants that looked wrinkled and stale enough to have been slept in. Maybe he was job-hunting, I thought. I heard my Les sigh and knew he had decided on his meal. I returned my attention to the menu.

Typed on both sides, I looked it over quickly. There was a speck of dried egg on one corner and I picked it off, thinking that I would never eat another egg if it was going to end up under someone's nail like this one had done. I dug it out from under my nail and flicked it away, disgusted.

Hamburgers are always a good choice when I find myself trapped in a greasy spoon like the Blue Goose so I settled on that. When our waitress returned, she set our drinks down. My tea glass dripped with condensation. I lifted the light amber liquid to my lips and tasted. It was sweet. Les busied himself with adding the condiments to his coffee. I looked at Pearl . Her nametag touted her name in gold.

I took the initiative this time. "Pearl honey, I would like the hamburger, well-done, no pink. And fries, with catsup."

She blinked as she wrote. My companion handed his menu to her. "Make it two."

She reached for my menu and I noticed her tattoo. It was on the third finger of her left hand. A little dragon.

I couldn't resist. "Do y'all have buns that ain't seedy? And by the way, I like your tattoo, where did you get it?"

She was surprised at my question but answered bravely anyway. "No ma'am we don't have any buns without seeds, but I can give you two bottoms. Is that ok?"

I nodded and she went on. "I got it down at Joe's. The one over by the co-op?" She asked this as if I would know where she indicated.

"Oh, no. I ain't from here. But it's sure nice."

She waved the menus at us and headed back to the area where the rest of her peers pivoted back and forth, calling out orders. I heard her place ours.

"Two burgers, well-done, one with bottom buns only, sides of fries." Her voice held that authoritative note that I loved. She would be a manager someday. I just knew it.

I looked at Les. He watched the women in the Blue Goose as if he would select one for human cloning. I didn't see what was so fascinating about them really. I looked again. Pearl was stuffing a piece of gum in her mouth. At least she didn't smoke.

"When we finish here, then what?" I asked him, pushing my hair back. He had been driving all day and I knew we had enough money for a motel somewhere.

"Find somewhere to sleep, I guess. Better not be running your hands through your hair like that, it's kinda dirty in here." He knew I kept my shoulder-length blond hair squeaky clean and would have a fit if dirt or grease even thought about getting near it.

"Hope you know where to look," I told him, "I ain't seen no signs lately."

He shrugged and pulled out a cigarette. "Don't much matter to me. It ain't like we are gonna be able to afford no fancy place no way."

I sipped my tea, thinking on his words. "Maybe. Maybe not."

"What you thinkin'?"

"You'll see."

When Pearl brought our burgers to us, I had a plan. She set the white china plate heaped with fries in front of me. The sandwich was centered on the plate like a castle in the middle of the fry kingdom. I snickered, watching her set down the catsup and utensils.

"Pearl honey, do you know of a cheap place to stay around here?"

She straightened up. "Well, let me think." And she did. Then, "I guess the best place for the money would be down by the co-op."

I laughed. "Oh, by the tattoo place?"

She got my meaning pretty quickly and nodded. "Yeah, I'll get you some directions."

I was grateful and said so. She walked back to the waitress area, a new spring in her step. We would be fast friends before I paid my bill and left today.   I smiled at Les.

"Bet I can get us some mean digs, and maybe for half-price. Maybe even free."

He raised his bushy eyebrows over his coffee cup. I just smiled. Our waitress was a Pearl of great value. And in just a few minutes, with directions in hand, I led the way to our Buick.

" Pearl said that the Mesa Motel was the best place for the price. Of course, I told her that being as how we are just visiting this part of town, we wouldn't know about that. Then she suggested, right out of the blue, if we would be interested in seeing her place. I think she likes us. I really do."

Les opened my side, then walked around to his. He paused looking over the scuffed ragtop at me. "We ain't gonna do her, are we?"

I looked at the weapons on the front seat and thought about it. That tattoo probably saved her life. "Naw, I told her that she was mighty sweet, but we had to leave town first thing in the morning. The Mesa Motel would do us up real fine."

I smiled at him and ducked into the car. He slid in next to me. "Too bad. She woulda been good."

He put the car into drive and I watched as the little town moved by my window. We would keep going. Maybe the next town would have a decent store or bank that we could bust up for money. Maybe we would find a waitress with an ugly burn on her finger instead of a cool tattoo.   I smiled. The possibilities were endless.