A Piece With the Words... 'All-Night Diner,' 'Tuna Fish,' 'Infinity' - Anne B. Wright

Let my love open the door, let my love open the door, let my love open the door, to your heaaaart, the jukebox bleated again. Julia put her hand to her forehead, pinching the temples with her thumb and pointer. “Jeeesuss I wish that thing would shut up!” And she scuttled over to the ancient machine and unplugged it.

Another day behind her. These days are each and every blessed one of them, exactly the same, she thought. Catching her image in the mirror behind the counter, she patted back her hair and reached into her apron pocket for a lipstick. It had been three years since Bodie’d passed, a shock to her every time she remembered it, and every day marked off as sad and lonely without him. She didn’t like to think about him out there in infinity with all the other dead people. That was the saddest part of all because he loved living so much. There’d never be another one.

The all night diner was dead tonight and Jules hated it when nobody came in. All she could do to keep busy was to clean every bit of grease and grime from the counter, fill the salt and pepper shakers and try not to let the acrid smell of old burned coffee get to her. Tonight she’d broken a nail, one of her prized lacquered nails. She was examining it when the door opened.

He walked to the counter and sat.

“Howdy, what can I get you?” Jules said. She liked the way she could size up her customers. This one would go for the grilled tuna fish and cheddar from the daily specials chalkboard. He probably would want a cup of coffee, too. She glanced at the ancient coffee maker an its stained pot of brown stuff. He looks like the type who won’t complain about it, but he won’t drink it, either.

He leaned closer to her and squinted at her nametag. “Julie, that name suits you,” he said.

“Yes sir, I’ve had it all my life and grown into it,” she said, wondering if he was married or not. If he was, why is he in this diner instead of at home getting a good dinner from his wife? “Now, would you like to order?” She set a glass of ice water in front of him. He needed a shave.

“Tuna special and a coffee,” he said.

She turned to the coffee pot and smiled.