Luke's Diner, Saturday

[what_the_shock]

"Groundhog day was yesterday," Miguel told the cook, "and if there's any traditional food for it, I don't want to know." He was sort of afraid of what it might be.

Unfortunately, the man kept pouting. so eventually Miguel thought of some things. "There you go - okay?"

Apparently it would do.

Today's Specials:
Twice-baked potatoes
Refried bean dip
Biscotti


Luke's was open!

Comments

[died8yearsago]

Rosa wasn't about to actually cook something, but she figured she should at least branch out and eat something other than delivery pizza. So she guessed the diner across from the station wasn't a bad place to start if she'd be getting lunch there often, which she probably would be because, you know. It was literally right there.

"What's good here?" she said by way of greeting, hitching her chin up in response to the person behind the counter as she walked up and took a brief glance around.

[what_the_shock]

"We don't really serve anything bad," Miguel said. "What do you like? Burger and milkshake? Empanadas and coffee? Nerf and...actually, I'm not sure what goes with nerf. But take your pick."

[died8yearsago]

We don't really serve anything bad sounded like the bullshit thing someone working somewhere would say, and Rosa gave the guy a skeptical look that said as much.

"Burger's fine," she said, and was thisclose to asking for it to go, but, really, she did need to spend at least a little bit of time out of her apartment. It was too quiet anyway; it kind of weirded her out, like the building was almost entirely abandoned or something.

So she added, "With a Coke, I guess," as she slid reluctantly onto a stool.

[what_the_shock]

Hey, Miguel hadn't found anything bad here yet. The cook's odd impulses aside.

"Burger," he agreed. "How do you want that cooked?"

[died8yearsago]

"If everything here's good," Rosa said, "should it matter?"

Mostly because she hated that everything's good bullshit, but also partly because even telling a person how she liked her burger felt too revealing. Yes, it was just their job. No, she didn't care.

[what_the_shock]

Miguel shrugged. "You can still have a preference." But she was going to get it however the cook felt like making it, apparently.

"Cheese?" he asked? "Lettuce, tomato, and pickle okay? You want fries or a milkshake?"

Sorry, you were still going to have to make choices here.

[died8yearsago]

"Fine." Somewhere in that tight-lipped glower, that might have been the vaguest suggestion of a smirk, but it tightly suppressed, especially as she leaned forward on the counter to stare him down. "Medium rare. With bacon. Onions, tomato, lettuce. No mayo, just ketchup, spicy mustard. Three pickles, preferably the round ones with ridges. Side of fifteen french fries, unsalted. With Coke, make it cherry Coke, with six ice cubes."

Better? If he found out anything more, she just might have to kill him.

"And a slice of apple pie for desert," she added, "with a scoop of moose tracks ice cream."

[what_the_shock]

Miguel grinned. "Hey, a lady that knows what she likes. If the cook gives you sixteen fries instead, I'll string him up. I...am going to have to go look for that ice cream."

He noted the rest of it down and passed it back to the kitchen, then went to pull her Coke. "You're new in town? I haven't seen you around before."

[died8yearsago]

Rosa shook her head.

She had a feeling she'd be doing a lot of that around here.

"Yeah, I'm new," she muttered. "And I'm a cop. People around here seem real interested in details like that."

You know, normal conversational things, blech.

[what_the_shock]

"Yeah?" Miguel set her Coke down and gave her a bemused look. "Not a lot to do around here, is there? Or are you getting away from it all?"

[died8yearsago]

"Paperwork error," Rosa felt she could offer that much, pulling her drink closer. "I won't be here long."

She hoped.

But she was probably wrong.

[what_the_shock]

Miguel nodded. "Well, welcome and good luck." He stuck out his hand. "Miguel O'Hara."

[died8yearsago]

Rosa shook her head again. These people and shaking hands. Flu season must have a field day around here. But whatever. She took it, shook it. "Diaz," she offered back.

[what_the_shock]

To be fair, Miguel wasn't likely to get the flu. Or to realize flu was an issue in the current time.

"Good to meet you." He hooked a thumb over his shoulder. "I'm going to go look for that ice cream. If you need something before I get back, just holler at the staff."

At least he knew where the ice-cream section of the freezer was. Still, there was a lot in there to search through.

[died8yearsago]

How long would it take to find ice cream? It got a little bit of a look from Rosa, but it put her in a situation where she didn't have to make small talk and he'd given her licence to holler at people if she needed to?

Now that was her kind of customer service.

[what_the_shock]

Hey, if she hollered enough, they'd probably hire her.

Miguel headed into the freezer and started searching the ice creams. This might take a while.