I sat in the window booth, warmed by the Friday evening sun outside. Ayesha, the waitress and my friend, sat across from me, telling me about the rude customers she’d had to deal with earlier. My empty plate sat in front of me.
I pulled out my iPhone for a moment while she talked. Realizing I was being a bit rude, I said, “I’m just entering my calories for dinner.”
“Oh?” she asked. “How many do you have left?”
I checked the total. I was over by a couple of hundred. “Not enough.”
“Uh-oh!” she said. “You’re going to have to walk home!” Smiling, she leaned over and put her head on the windowsill.
I chuckled. “Yes, I probably should.”
“It’s so nice out there. You should go for a walk… in the sun…” she said, dragging out the vowel sounds. “Birds will be flying…”
“Man, that does sound nice!” I said. “All the animals will come out from the woods, and sing a song for me…”
By the point, both she and I were laughing out loud, punch drunk from the long week and the warm lazy summer evening.
“Ha, ha, ha! It’ll be like one of those Disney movies!” I said.
“I’m only saying this because that’s what I want to be doing!” she said. Smiling, she whined, “It’s so boring. Go out and have a little ice cream and go for a walk. For me.”
“You’re painting a great picture!”
She pantomimed licking an ice cream cone. “It’s so beautiful out there! I want some ice cream!”
I’d already paid for my meal. I stood up; so did she. Putting my messenger bag over my shoulders, I got ready to leave. Out once-manic laughter slowly died down and silence once again filled the diner.
“Man, I’m going to be so disappointed when that doesn’t happen.” I said.
She retreated towards the bar, chuckling once again. “It will! I promise! I trained all the animals!”
I pushed the door open, stepped outside. “Well, send them the signal! I’m on my way!”