Sunday, November 25, 2007
Linda
Linda was the morning chef. She'd been doing it since forever, not long after the place opened. The customers loved her with her gruff humor.
Today was just like any other day for Linda, except the meeting coming up. She'd squeeze that in no problem. She fell into her routine, signing in, putting her jacket away and getting her favorite tools from her locker. She headed for the freezer and collected all her needs taking it to the grill area. Early breakfast customers would be waiting for opening soon and she paced herself to be ready.
Eugene helped her set up for breakfast, joking with her off and on. He liked this time the best. He was mostly done with baking (only a few more rounds of oven bread) and this was the transition to cooking and as the back-up to Linda. Eugene told Linda about Ed, "...and he left without saying a word and leaving the front door unlocked."
Linda didn't really know Ed as their shifts rarely overlapped, but she knew his ways from how other people spoke about him, mainly Eugene. She shook her head and said, "That sure doesn't sound like Ed, I hope nothing's seriously wrong. And you haven't been able to reach his cell?"
"No. I'm a bit worried." Eugene faced his job and tried to put Ed in the back of the mind.
~~~~~
Tammy the front clerk went and unlocked the entrance. Several of the regulars were there of course, greeting the girl as they came in. A few lined up immediately, others picked out there usual locale and sat down. Eugene and Linda went into action, even knowing what to start preparing simply from seeing the faces of the regulars.
Eugene was making his special thick french toast for old man Rusty, who sat at the bar, and had it EVERY time. Eugene also was making himself a couple for his own breakfast. Looking around he saw Gena, the newer cook wandering over to help. Beyond her, Eugene saw Ray going into the office. "Well, I guess Gena can take over. I'm grabbing my french toast and going to the office for the meeting. Linda, you come on in when you get a slow spell."
~~~~
Eugene chewed his breakfast as he listened to Ray. It was more of the usual, business forecast, sales, etc. As he finished up his food, he decided to jump in. "Did I tell you about Ed last night?"
"No. What happened."
Well, he got sick real fast, stomach thing. Then he went out into the dining area to lay back. I went and checked on him and he was gone and he had left the front door unlocked. I've tried his cell about a thousand times and nothing."
Ray was concerned. "You don't think he went to the hospital?"
"Oh yeah, I'd called all of them about an hour ago."
"Well Eugene, we might have to reschedule tonights bake and be ready with a helper to take Ed's place."
"I hope he calls in, I left about ten messages so if he gets them he knows we need to hear from him. Ray, can you call his contact number after the meeting?"
"Sure. On a new subject, I'd like to do a store tour of all of our locations tomorrow. You, me, Linda...and a couple of others from the locations, maybe Alan the manager trainee at the Greenpath store.
"No problem. We've been needing to do that for awhile. We've gotten away from that. I haven't been to The Front in about four months. Set it up. 9:30, 10:00?"
"Yeah, ten o'clock works. We can break up this meeting if you'd like and talk more tomorrow."
Sure thing. I'll send Linda in."
Today was just like any other day for Linda, except the meeting coming up. She'd squeeze that in no problem. She fell into her routine, signing in, putting her jacket away and getting her favorite tools from her locker. She headed for the freezer and collected all her needs taking it to the grill area. Early breakfast customers would be waiting for opening soon and she paced herself to be ready.
Eugene helped her set up for breakfast, joking with her off and on. He liked this time the best. He was mostly done with baking (only a few more rounds of oven bread) and this was the transition to cooking and as the back-up to Linda. Eugene told Linda about Ed, "...and he left without saying a word and leaving the front door unlocked."
Linda didn't really know Ed as their shifts rarely overlapped, but she knew his ways from how other people spoke about him, mainly Eugene. She shook her head and said, "That sure doesn't sound like Ed, I hope nothing's seriously wrong. And you haven't been able to reach his cell?"
"No. I'm a bit worried." Eugene faced his job and tried to put Ed in the back of the mind.
~~~~~
Tammy the front clerk went and unlocked the entrance. Several of the regulars were there of course, greeting the girl as they came in. A few lined up immediately, others picked out there usual locale and sat down. Eugene and Linda went into action, even knowing what to start preparing simply from seeing the faces of the regulars.
Eugene was making his special thick french toast for old man Rusty, who sat at the bar, and had it EVERY time. Eugene also was making himself a couple for his own breakfast. Looking around he saw Gena, the newer cook wandering over to help. Beyond her, Eugene saw Ray going into the office. "Well, I guess Gena can take over. I'm grabbing my french toast and going to the office for the meeting. Linda, you come on in when you get a slow spell."
~~~~
Eugene chewed his breakfast as he listened to Ray. It was more of the usual, business forecast, sales, etc. As he finished up his food, he decided to jump in. "Did I tell you about Ed last night?"
"No. What happened."
Well, he got sick real fast, stomach thing. Then he went out into the dining area to lay back. I went and checked on him and he was gone and he had left the front door unlocked. I've tried his cell about a thousand times and nothing."
Ray was concerned. "You don't think he went to the hospital?"
"Oh yeah, I'd called all of them about an hour ago."
"Well Eugene, we might have to reschedule tonights bake and be ready with a helper to take Ed's place."
"I hope he calls in, I left about ten messages so if he gets them he knows we need to hear from him. Ray, can you call his contact number after the meeting?"
"Sure. On a new subject, I'd like to do a store tour of all of our locations tomorrow. You, me, Linda...and a couple of others from the locations, maybe Alan the manager trainee at the Greenpath store.
"No problem. We've been needing to do that for awhile. We've gotten away from that. I haven't been to The Front in about four months. Set it up. 9:30, 10:00?"
"Yeah, ten o'clock works. We can break up this meeting if you'd like and talk more tomorrow."
Sure thing. I'll send Linda in."
