slamming things around. Stuff like that. One time I saw him throw one of his girlfriends against the wall for bringing him the wrong beer. Broke her damn arm. You just never know what he's gonna do.” Cindi took a damp cloth and ran it across the top of the bar. “We got some regulars, especially on Fridays when the band plays.” She indicated two women at the table near the band equipment. “Them two come in every Friday night.” She scrubbed some dried ketchup off the surface of the bar. “School teachers. They have a thing for Tommy and baskets of fries. Did I mention we give one free refill on those?” She shook her head, whispering in Lee's ear. “They should lay off the fries if you know what I mean.”
Lee was about to ask how she kept track of refills, but didn't have the chance because Cindi talked without a pause. “Now the band. The singer. Gorgeous.” She said it in three elongated syllables. “He reminds me of that actor on ‘Law and Order’. Only not so serious. He opened an athletic center over behind the library for kids in trouble. The women are crazy for him. ‘Course there's not much to choose from around here. Not that it bothers me none. I got my own man at home.” She shook her head and lowered her voice in that way people do when they love to be the one in the know. “Between you and me, he pretty much came right out and told me he got hurt something fierce. People always tell me things, that's just the kind of person I am. Anyway, he acts like he could care less when the ladies throw themselves at him. Not that he likes boys or nothin' like that.” A group of boisterous men burst into the room, pushed two tables together and waved at Cindi and Lee.
“Go on, girl. I'll just watch from here but you call me over if you need anything.”
At the table, Lee handed out menus, grabbed the pencil from behind her ear and asked for their drink orders. The oldest of the bunch, gray beard, huge belly, clad in overalls spoke first. “You're new.”
She nodded and put her hand on her hip like she'd seen Cindi do. “Sure am.” She sounded stiff and fake, like the first time she'd said a curse word in junior high.
He raised his bushy eyebrows and looked around at his buddies. “We've never had a redhead before.” They all laughed.
She dropped her arm to her side. “What can I get you?”
A man at the end of the table wearing a baseball cap and an unshaven greasy face raised his hand. “You on the menu?” Again, they all laughed. Another glanced at her crotch. “You a real redhead?” he said.
Cindi appeared at Lee's elbow. “You boys behaving yourselves?” The way she stood, hands on hips, indulgent smirk, her voice a mixture of banter and authority, reminded Lee of a Madame at a whorehouse. And Lee was the sweaty, quaking, sacrificial virgin right before she went upstairs for her first night on the job.
The bearded ringleader put his hands up in the air. “Of course, Miss Cindi.”
“What can we get you then?” said Cindi.
“Beers. Couple of pitchers. Burgers all around. Get Billy to sneak us extra fries.”
Cindi nodded and shook her finger at him. “Not that you boys deserve it, but I'll see what I can do. You be good, or I'll be saying goodnight early.”
Lee carried the pitchers in one hand and six plastic beer mugs in the other. She wasn't sure what to put down first and the beer was heavy. The young greasy one got up and came around the table. “Let me help you.” He reached for the pitchers at the same time Lee moved to put them on the table. The pitchers slipped and beer spilled down Lee's front, causing her shirt to cling to her breasts.
The men stared, whooped and hollered. “Didn't know it was wet t-shirt night.” The table exploded with laughter, whistles and boot stamping. Cindi came to the table and they quieted.
“How much you boys drink before you got here? I have a right mind to cut you all off.” They all moaned. The greasy one slapped the table
Lee was about to ask how she kept track of refills, but didn't have the chance because Cindi talked without a pause. “Now the band. The singer. Gorgeous.” She said it in three elongated syllables. “He reminds me of that actor on ‘Law and Order’. Only not so serious. He opened an athletic center over behind the library for kids in trouble. The women are crazy for him. ‘Course there's not much to choose from around here. Not that it bothers me none. I got my own man at home.” She shook her head and lowered her voice in that way people do when they love to be the one in the know. “Between you and me, he pretty much came right out and told me he got hurt something fierce. People always tell me things, that's just the kind of person I am. Anyway, he acts like he could care less when the ladies throw themselves at him. Not that he likes boys or nothin' like that.” A group of boisterous men burst into the room, pushed two tables together and waved at Cindi and Lee.
“Go on, girl. I'll just watch from here but you call me over if you need anything.”
At the table, Lee handed out menus, grabbed the pencil from behind her ear and asked for their drink orders. The oldest of the bunch, gray beard, huge belly, clad in overalls spoke first. “You're new.”
She nodded and put her hand on her hip like she'd seen Cindi do. “Sure am.” She sounded stiff and fake, like the first time she'd said a curse word in junior high.
He raised his bushy eyebrows and looked around at his buddies. “We've never had a redhead before.” They all laughed.
She dropped her arm to her side. “What can I get you?”
A man at the end of the table wearing a baseball cap and an unshaven greasy face raised his hand. “You on the menu?” Again, they all laughed. Another glanced at her crotch. “You a real redhead?” he said.
Cindi appeared at Lee's elbow. “You boys behaving yourselves?” The way she stood, hands on hips, indulgent smirk, her voice a mixture of banter and authority, reminded Lee of a Madame at a whorehouse. And Lee was the sweaty, quaking, sacrificial virgin right before she went upstairs for her first night on the job.
The bearded ringleader put his hands up in the air. “Of course, Miss Cindi.”
“What can we get you then?” said Cindi.
“Beers. Couple of pitchers. Burgers all around. Get Billy to sneak us extra fries.”
Cindi nodded and shook her finger at him. “Not that you boys deserve it, but I'll see what I can do. You be good, or I'll be saying goodnight early.”
Lee carried the pitchers in one hand and six plastic beer mugs in the other. She wasn't sure what to put down first and the beer was heavy. The young greasy one got up and came around the table. “Let me help you.” He reached for the pitchers at the same time Lee moved to put them on the table. The pitchers slipped and beer spilled down Lee's front, causing her shirt to cling to her breasts.
The men stared, whooped and hollered. “Didn't know it was wet t-shirt night.” The table exploded with laughter, whistles and boot stamping. Cindi came to the table and they quieted.
“How much you boys drink before you got here? I have a right mind to cut you all off.” They all moaned. The greasy one slapped the table