THE DINER

Lee had been driving for hours, before she saw a sad looking person, wearing a baseball cap, walking down the lonely highway. The person was dressed in a tee-shirt and jeans and carrying a backpack.

When Lee drove slowly by, she realized that the person was a young girl. She thought to herself, “She reminds me of myself when I was younger. Where in the world could she be going? Lee wanted to stop and offer the girl a ride, but she kept driving.

Exhausted and facing darkness, Lee began to look for a station to get gas, use the bathroom, buy snacks and rest in her car before continuing on her trip. Less than a half a mile down the road, Lee took the EXIT, where she saw the sign, “WILMA’S DINER THE BEST FOOD IN TOWN.” Lee decided that she would stop there, and by early morning, be on her way to a family reunion, where she really did not want to go, year after year, trying to relate to kin folks that she didn’t know. Lee was contemplating on turning around and going back home but she had driven too far.

She parked next to the only two other cars in the diner’s parking lot. Lee exited her car and went inside. There were two customers, a frail woman with ash-blonde hair and a man, wearing dark sunglasses, seated at a table. Lee took a seat at the table next to a window, where she could watch her car.

A large woman with kinky-grey hair, appeared from the kitchen. Her apron was splattered with food and grease stains. She was carrying a plate of food in each hand, which she placed one in front of the man and the other one in front of the woman, before removing two forks from her apron pocket. She put a folk in the man’s hand and the other fork near the woman’s plate of food. The man began to eat while dropping food onto his chin and red plaid shirt.

The woman with the ash- blond hair stared glassy-eyed at the man. Her watery eyes appeared to be those of a person who has been crying or has not gotten enough sleep. Her face was wrinkled and appeared aged. It was obvious that she had lived a hard life. With trembling hands, she chain-smoked cigarettes from one of the two packs that set on her table. The woman puffed, and exhaled smoke through her nose and mouth. She constantly licked her thin chapped tobacco- stained lips between every puff. When her ash tray was overflowing with butts, she began to use her plate of food, from which she had not taken a bite, as her ash tray.

Wilma, the waitress, wearing the stained apron, walked over to Lee’s table, introduced herself, handed her a menu and asked how could she be of service. Before Lee could answer, Wilma remarked that the apple pie was delicious because she made it herself. Lee’s appetite had been spoiled by the actions of the two customers and Wilma’s stain apron. Not to be rude, Lee asked for a cup of black Coffee. When Wilma returned with the coffee, she also included a slice of apple pie. Lee thanked Wilma, while noticing the juicy apples beneath the golden-brown crust. She tasted the pie and found it to be very delicious.

A young person appeared at the door. She was the girl that Lee had driven by earlier. Because the diner was almost empty of customers, Wilma welcomed her to the diner and told her to sit where she wished. However, the young girl remained standing at the Exit as if she was preparing to flee. She told Wilma that she did not have any money and just wanted a glass of water. Lee, feeling guilty about not giving the young girl a ride, quickly intervened and told Wilma to bring her and the girl, the day’s special.

Wilma returned to the kitchen to fill the orders. Lee invited the girl to sit with her, which she reluctantly did. She removed her backpack and set it on the floor, and placed her baseball cap on her lap, exposing her short black curly hair. Her dark eyes were expressionless and sank deep into her pale face. Lee introduced herself and apologized for not giving her a ride. Before The young stranger could respond, Lee asked for her name. The stranger said her name was Sister, and for Lee to not be ashamed for not giving her a ride, because there are always rides to take you where you think you want to go.

Using a large tray, Wilma brought two plates of food and two pint -size fruit jars of sweet tea to Lee and Sister’s table. Sister began to eat as soon as Wilma set the plate in front of her. Wilma left the two females to talk while she returned to the kitchen. Lee ate slowly while she watched the hungry Sister eat and gulp down her food.

Lee asked Sister where did she come from and where was she going. Sister told Lee that she was from everywhere and going nowhere. So, I am going to turn around and go back until I find myself. Lee tells Sister that she was from Alabaster, Georgia and that she too had told herself to return home just one more time and things would correct themselves, but they never did. I always felt like a compulsive gambler, trying unsuccessfully to win back all of the dignity I had lost. Sister, my journey’s ends today. I too will be turning around and you can ride back with me.

Wilma emerged from the kitchen carrying a lantern and loudly screaming, “Mr. and Mrs. Youngblood, Lee, Sister, a storm is coming! A storm is coming, and it’s not safe to leave the diner until morning.” Except for the light from the lantern, the occasional flicker of red ash from Mrs. Youngblood’s cigarettes and the lightning that flashed across the starless sky and through the windows, the Diner inside and the parking lot were in total darkness. Thunder, lightning and pouring rain, tore at the creepy and creaky walls of the small diner. As the storm raged outside, there was not a word nor sound heard inside.

The morning came, the storm had ended, the sun shone brightly and the five people in Wilma’s Diner had had enough excitement for one day. Mrs. Youngblood helped her husband to their car and drove away. Wilma went in the kitchen to wash the few dirty dishes and Lee looked for Sister, but she was nowhere to be found. Lee went into the kitchen and asked where did Sister go? Wilma did not remember seeing a person named Sister.

Lee decided that she was not getting anywhere with Wilma. She would have to find Sister on her own. Sister could not have gone too far walking so Lee got into her car and drove to the EXIT. She did not see Sister, and not wanting to give up, she decided to return to the Diner. Sister could have been in the bathroom and now is waiting for her outside to return. Lee turned around and drove back to where she had parked her car earlier at the diner, however, was no diner, but in just one day the parking lot is full of weeds, small trees, trash and an old rotted building, that once had a sign that read “WILMA’S DINER.”

Lee took the Exit home.