County Sheriff’s Office complex.
Though the café had a menu from which diners could order a la carte, Opal could not remember the last time anyone had actually done so.
When Opal bought the café thirty-five years earlier, she did it not only to augment the family income, but because she truly enjoyed cooking. Her husband worked in the lumber industry and did not make much as a common laborer. After his death in a logging accident, the café became the family’s sole means of support. That’s when Opal changed the style to an all-you-can-eat buffet.
At first the menu change met with resistance from the townspeople - change of any kind was not generally accepted in such small towns. But Opal’s country culinary arts quickly won the hearts of the townsfolk. It was a good change for Opal. It greatly simplified her daily cooking chores, reduced the food inventory, and tremendously increased her profits. That was a little over ten years ago and coincided with the time that the local tourist trade began to take off.
Inside the café, Clayton and Larry filled their trays at the buffet table. Tina Chitwood stood across the hot table from Larry and eyed him with interest. How could she be so fortunate , she thought, to have this gorgeous hunk of a man here in her hometown? Larry, more interested in the selection of foods before him than in observing the local citizenry, did not notice her.
Taking matters into her own hands, Tina walked around the hot table until she was standing directly behind Larry. Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, she inched up as close as possible to Larry without actually touching him.
Having filled his tray, Larry turned around and unavoidably collided directly into Tina, whom he did not recognize, spilling her drink onto her food.
“Oh! Excuse me. How clumsy of me! I am so terribly sorry,” Larry said apologetically, not realizing that he had been set-up for this collision.
“Is that your standard pickup line?” Tina asked coyly with a faint flirtatious smile.
“What?” Then, gazing into her face for the first time, Larry suddenly recognized her. “Oh, you’re the girl from S.L.U.! I’m so sorry. You must think I do this all the time,” he stammered.
“Well, don’t you?” asked Tina teasingly.
“Uh . . . no . . . not usually, but it seems to be working. What’s your name?” he asked, realizing for the first time how stunningly beautiful she was.
“Tina . . . Tina Chitwood,” she replied with a mild hillbilly accent.
“Hi, Tina, I’m Larry Beringer – won’t you join me, uh . . .” Larry pointed to Clayton who was already seated at a table. “I mean us . . . for dinner?”
“I can see that you’ve used that line before,” Tina said laughingly. “Thanks, but I already have a date.” Larry looked surprised and a little confused, so Tina quickly added, “Three of them to be exact.” She pointed to another table where three boys about age twelve were seated with heaping plates – her nephew, Johnny; his best friend, Austin; and another of his friends, Frankie, who was very, very fat. “My nephew and his friends . . . Eminence is my hometown. Logging and tourism are our only industries and you don't look the logger type. So, you're here on vacation?” she asked.
“No, I’m a research assistant to Dr. Clayton.” Larry tilted his head in Clayton’s direction. “We’re camped down at Alley Spring doing frog research all summer.”
Tina wrinkled up her nose, “Oh! The Frog Guys. I’d heard you were around here. Well at least you picked a great place to camp . . . Well, enjoy, see ya ‘round.” Tina took her tray and started walking to the table where her nephew and his friends were seated. Larry watched her for a few seconds then hastily caught up with her.
“Wait! Uh . . . since I’m new to the area do you know any good, private, tour guides?”
“Possibly, what exactly did you have in mind?” she responded rather coyly.
“Well, tomorrow
Though the café had a menu from which diners could order a la carte, Opal could not remember the last time anyone had actually done so.
When Opal bought the café thirty-five years earlier, she did it not only to augment the family income, but because she truly enjoyed cooking. Her husband worked in the lumber industry and did not make much as a common laborer. After his death in a logging accident, the café became the family’s sole means of support. That’s when Opal changed the style to an all-you-can-eat buffet.
At first the menu change met with resistance from the townspeople - change of any kind was not generally accepted in such small towns. But Opal’s country culinary arts quickly won the hearts of the townsfolk. It was a good change for Opal. It greatly simplified her daily cooking chores, reduced the food inventory, and tremendously increased her profits. That was a little over ten years ago and coincided with the time that the local tourist trade began to take off.
Inside the café, Clayton and Larry filled their trays at the buffet table. Tina Chitwood stood across the hot table from Larry and eyed him with interest. How could she be so fortunate , she thought, to have this gorgeous hunk of a man here in her hometown? Larry, more interested in the selection of foods before him than in observing the local citizenry, did not notice her.
Taking matters into her own hands, Tina walked around the hot table until she was standing directly behind Larry. Trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, she inched up as close as possible to Larry without actually touching him.
Having filled his tray, Larry turned around and unavoidably collided directly into Tina, whom he did not recognize, spilling her drink onto her food.
“Oh! Excuse me. How clumsy of me! I am so terribly sorry,” Larry said apologetically, not realizing that he had been set-up for this collision.
“Is that your standard pickup line?” Tina asked coyly with a faint flirtatious smile.
“What?” Then, gazing into her face for the first time, Larry suddenly recognized her. “Oh, you’re the girl from S.L.U.! I’m so sorry. You must think I do this all the time,” he stammered.
“Well, don’t you?” asked Tina teasingly.
“Uh . . . no . . . not usually, but it seems to be working. What’s your name?” he asked, realizing for the first time how stunningly beautiful she was.
“Tina . . . Tina Chitwood,” she replied with a mild hillbilly accent.
“Hi, Tina, I’m Larry Beringer – won’t you join me, uh . . .” Larry pointed to Clayton who was already seated at a table. “I mean us . . . for dinner?”
“I can see that you’ve used that line before,” Tina said laughingly. “Thanks, but I already have a date.” Larry looked surprised and a little confused, so Tina quickly added, “Three of them to be exact.” She pointed to another table where three boys about age twelve were seated with heaping plates – her nephew, Johnny; his best friend, Austin; and another of his friends, Frankie, who was very, very fat. “My nephew and his friends . . . Eminence is my hometown. Logging and tourism are our only industries and you don't look the logger type. So, you're here on vacation?” she asked.
“No, I’m a research assistant to Dr. Clayton.” Larry tilted his head in Clayton’s direction. “We’re camped down at Alley Spring doing frog research all summer.”
Tina wrinkled up her nose, “Oh! The Frog Guys. I’d heard you were around here. Well at least you picked a great place to camp . . . Well, enjoy, see ya ‘round.” Tina took her tray and started walking to the table where her nephew and his friends were seated. Larry watched her for a few seconds then hastily caught up with her.
“Wait! Uh . . . since I’m new to the area do you know any good, private, tour guides?”
“Possibly, what exactly did you have in mind?” she responded rather coyly.
“Well, tomorrow
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