Mindy
The bell over the front door jingled, and the eyes of the regulars all hung on Danny as he entered. Two old farmers, bent and hunched in the first booth, mumbled to each other, coffee mugs pressed to their thin lips. The same two farmers always sat in the same booth every day, and every day that Danny came in, they turned away from him and whispered to each other.
Mindy worked back behind the counter filling the salt shakers and watched the whole thing. She shook her head, irritated with each and every one of the intolerant SOBs.
Oh, Lord, people. You’d think Frankenstein just walked in.
Mindy’s blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her eyes sparkled like big blue gemstones. She looked tired but gave customers a wide smile as she replaced their salt shakers with freshly filled ones. Some smoker’s lines creased the edges of her mouth and around her eyes, but Mindy didn’t try to cover them with makeup. She wore her waitress uniform tight—the way she liked it and the way the men customers liked it. The female customers? Not so much. Mindy knew she might be a little too flirty, but it was innocent and all in good fun, and it sure helped with the tip situation.
Mindy watched poor Danny, with his eyes cast to the floor, lumbering his way to his usual spot—the last stool at the end of the long breakfast counter. He plopped down, folded his beefy hands in his lap, and waited.
God bless him. Always so patient, Mindy thought.
Danny didn’t move to pick up the laminated menu that stood between a napkin dispenser and a bottle of ketchup. Mindy knew his order by heart—always the same thing. She painted on a big smile and marched straight up to him. “There’s the birthday boy!”
Danny smiled at the sweet sound of Mindy’s voice and glanced up at her, but his eyes darted right and left, never settling on hers for long.
“How old you gonna be, Danny? And no lying, you hear?”
Danny grinned and shook his head. “Dunno.”
“Oh, phooey on that. We got the same birthday, silly.” She leaned in close to him and whispered, “But we’ll keep our age our little secret. We’ll just pretend that we’re still thirty-nine, okay?”
“All right. If you say so,” Danny answered, still smiling from ear to ear.
Mindy reached under the counter, pulled out a packet of Swiss Miss hot cocoa, and shook it between her fingers. “How ’bout a cup of hot chocolate? My treat.”
Danny’s round cheeks turned red from all the attention, and he said softly, “You don’t have to do that.”
“I don’t have to do nothin’. I want to.”
Mindy poured hot water into a mug and slid it in front of Danny. “There you go, hon. Happy birthday.”
“Well, ain’t this a sweet sight first thing in the morning. A real fucking Kodak moment. Oughta take me a picture and hang it over my dresser at home,” Mike Sokowski said, chuckling as he strode up to the counter and plopped onto the stool next to Danny. He took off his deputy hat and ran his fingers through long black hair that dangled down to broad shoulders. A thick tangle of a beard hung from his chin, whiskers creeping up his cheekbones nearly to the eyes. He grinned at Mindy, stroked and tugged on the beard, a few traces of gray hair peppered throughout. Sokowski made no attempt to hide the cauliflower ear on the left side of his head, a small twisted knot of brown flesh. In fact, he seemed to show it off like some kind of trophy.
“You ain’t never given me hot chocolate on my birthday.”
Mindy gave him a sour look, her smile long gone. “That’s ’cuz you ain’t sweet and don’t deserve nothin’ nice.”
“Shit. Didn’t hear you complaining none when we was going out. In fact, if I remember correctly, I always left you with a smile on your face.”
Mindy avoided his shit-eating grin and wiped some jelly stains from the counter in front of him. “Yeah, well, I ain’t making any more stupid mistakes.”
Sokowski chuckled again, clearly enjoying her discomfort. “What do you say to meetin’ me at the hotel tonight? I’m buying.”
“I’d say ‘fat chance.’ Besides, I got other plans.” She poured Sokowski a cup of coffee without him asking.
“Shit. You’re full of piss and vinegar this morning.”
“Yeah, well, you seem to have that effect on folks.”
“Come on, now. Here I am and everything to wish you happy birthday.”
Mindy gave him a look—not quite trusting his sincerity. “You actually remembered my birthday?”
“Hell yes. Got you a present and everything.” He took a few sips of coffee.
“Really? A present?” Mindy tried not to, but she felt a twinge of hope. Maybe Sokowski could actually turn over a new leaf.
“You bet. Got it right down here in my pants.” He let out a snort, then drank some more coffee.
“Mike. I swear.”
“Just kidding with you. Jesus. Like to take you to dinner. Wine, candles, the whole nine yards.”
“Said I was busy.”
“I bet. Too busy cutting coupons or painting your nails?”
Mindy just shook her head at him. “You eating or what?”
“Shit. I guess I sure ain’t here for the company. Pack me a fried-egg sandwich to go. And tell Pat to try not to overcook it this morning. How hard is it to fry a goddamn egg? Bet even Danny here could fry an egg.”
As Mindy shook her head again and went off into the kitchen, Sokowski’s hazel-green eyes turned on Danny. Danny could feel the deputy’s stare but kept his own eyes down while he sipped his hot chocolate. It burned his tongue, but he tried not to let Sokowski notice.
Sokowski lit up a cigarette and played with the Zippo lighter, flicking it on and off, all the while watching Danny. After a minute or two, Sokowski finally spoke up.
“Whatcha know, Danny?”
“Nothing.”
“Nothing, huh? Must be nice to know nothing sometimes, Danny. No worries. No problems. Just eat, sleep, and shit. What a goddamned life.”
Danny shrugged his heavy shoulders. “Guess so.” He watched Mindy working in the kitchen and wished that she would come back over. He didn’t like being alone with Deputy Sokowski so much.
“You sweet on her, huh?” Sokowski asked.
Danny stared into his mug of hot chocolate.
“Don’t be shy, Danny-Boy. I love women as much as the next guy, but be careful. Women are a tricky bunch. They bitch and moan and run their yap about shit you don’t give a goddamn about, but you listen none the same, because you just want to get yourself a little piece. You know what I mean?”
Danny didn’t know what he meant but nodded because he thought he was supposed to.
“You ever been with a woman, Danny?” Sokowski grinned and stroked his thick tangle of a beard.
Danny didn’t say anything.
“Well, shit, we’re gonna have to see what we can do about that. Gotta take care of the little man in your pants.” Sokowski laughed at the thought and took a sip of his coffee.
Mindy returned, toting a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns and a sack breakfast for Sokowski.
“Leave him be, Mike. He doesn’t need your shit filling his head.”
“Me and Danny here were just having some guy talk. Isn’t that right?”
Danny just plowed into his breakfast.
“Shit. Would you look at this boy pack it away? Fucker can eat.”
“Honestly, why do you have to go and be so damned mean? Danny here is nothing but sweet. Twice the man you are. You know that?” Mindy said while giving Sokowski a cold look.
“Shit o’mighty. He can have you for all I care.” Sokowski took another sip of his coffee and put his deputy hat back on. He tossed a five-dollar bill on the counter and gave Mindy a wink.
“Well, I’ll be seeing you around, Little Miss Sunshine.” Sokowski stood and popped Danny hard on the back. “Remember what I said. Take care of your little man, Danny-Boy.”
Sokowski made his way out of the diner, turning on the charm, smiling and nodding to folks as he went. He stopped at the table by the door and clapped one of the farmers on the back.
“Them coons still giving you fits, Merle?” Sokowski asked the older of the two.
Merle shook his head at the thought. “Hell. Caught two of ’em in the chicken coop yesterday morning. Killed three of my hens and ate near a dozen eggs.”
Sokowski tugged on his beard for a second, then gave Merle another pat on the back. “Tell you what. I’ll stop by in the next day or two with my thirty-aught six and take care of the problem for you. How’s that sound?”
Merle chuckled a little. “Sounds like a thirty-aught six is more than enough rifle to take care of them coons. A four-ten would do the trick.”
“Four-tens are for women and kids, Merle.”
Merle chuckled again. “Appreciate the help, Deputy. My eyes ain’t worth a damn no more.”
“Happy to do it, Merle. Happy to do it.”
Sokowski tipped his hat over at Dotty, one of the other waitresses, and she smiled back at him. He held the door open for an elderly couple coming inside, then slipped out of the diner.
“Some things never change,” Mindy said, mostly to herself, before turning back to Danny and noticing how quickly he was scooping the eggs into his mouth. She gave him a little pat on the shoulder. “Don’t listen to him. You understand me?”
Danny kept his head pulled between his shoulders and sopped up some egg yolk with a piece of toast.
“He’s just mean to some folks. You know? Always has been and always will be.” Mindy could tell that Danny wasn’t really listening. “Danny.” She spoke firmly, like a big sister talking to her little brother who got pushed around on the playground. “Don’t let him get to you. Okay? I don’t want you to ever change a bit. I like you just the way you are.”
Danny finally nodded. “Okay, Mindy.”
She smiled wide for him, but it felt more forced than usual. She knew she should take her own advice. Mike always got to her.
