"Where to Diner"

“Can I get a refill?” Marvin held up his coffee cup for the waitress,” I have to admit it’s the best I’ve ever tasted.”

“It’s percolated” the waitress, wearing an authentic 1950’s outfit with starched white hat, cuffs and apron, said with a patented smile and refilled the cup.

“Uh, sure...” Marvin couldn’t have cared less why it was better. He was just happy for another hit of the excellent caffeine before he had to sit through the long and boring business conference he was in town for, “And can I get a cup to go?” he added. He’d need it to stay awake during the torturous discussions that tended to drone on and on.

“To go?” the waitress echoed putting the coffee carafe down on the counter, “You’re ready to go?”

“Uh yeah just need that cup to go and the check,” he smiled and raised the refilled cup to his lips.

The waitress schooled her features into a serious expression and asked, “And where do you wish to go?”

“Out the door with a cup of coffee, didn’t I say that?”

The waitress mumbled, “Maybe I didn’t say it right…” she cleared her throat and smiled as she asked, “Where is it you wish to go- oh no, wait that’s wrong,” she shook her head and held her hand up, “I forgot to offer a warning first…have to offer that first you see. So you won’t wish in haste and not consider consequences,” she said with a teacher’s sternness but then she whispered in a normal voice, “because not considering consequences can be troubling, even deadly…’specially if you wished to be on a mountain top dressed ridiculously unprepared for it,” she nodded, “It happens.”

Marvin considered the waitress daft and looked around to see if anyone had overheard and might agree with him, but he was still the only one in the diner. No other customers had walked in since he’d sat down at the counter.

He gave her a hesitant smile and nodded, “Yeah, I’ll bet it does…but all I need is a cup of coffee to go and the check. Okay?” he said in a reasonable tone hoping to end the silly conversation.

The waitress tilted her head and frowned at him. “You don’t wish to be….somewhere? Are you sure?” she stared hard into his eyes.

Marvin stood up and shook his head. “No, just out of here.”

The waitress looked bewildered and mumbled mostly to herself. “Huh, imagine comin’ in here and not wantin’ to…something is off,” she mused and picked up the carafe and began to walk away but stopped and looked over her shoulder, “Well top o’ the morning to ya anyway!” she grumbled before walking into the back room carrying the carafe.

Marvin stared at the swinging door. What was that? Was she an actor waiting tables hoping for a lucky break, practicing for a part, playing with a character? It made sense, sort of, it was a New York diner only three blocks off Broadway. Still, she was a little too bizarre for him. He’d only stepped inside the diner to get out of the sudden downpour of rain but then the sun had come out as soon as he sat down at the counter and it was still shining brightly through the large plate glass window. It felt like a good time to go.

He realized she hadn’t come back with his to go cup or check and called out in a strong voice. “Miss…my coffee to go…and check please.” He waited another minute but she didn’t reappear.

He took the menu from its holder on the counter and looked for the price of the breakfast sandwich and coffee but there were no prices on the menu, another oddity.

“Miss, are you there?” he called out again but after another minute he looked at his watch. He had no more time to wait. He tossed what he felt was an appropriate amount of money on the counter and mumbled, “Don’t know how they stay in business,” and walked out the door…and into a rain storm.

Marvin scratched his head. How was it raining? It had been sunny just before he walked outside but now the puddles were overflowing as if it had been raining non-stop?

He grumbled wishing he’d had an umbrella and turned up the collar on his jacket as he walked away from the diner.

If he’d glanced back Marvin might, or might not, have seen the “Where to Diner” shimmering in watery sunlight like a beacon – to those who needed to see it.

 

Melody swept into the kitchen and threw herself into a chair shaking her head at her two sisters, Maxine and Mazie. “No wish…he didn’t want to go anywhere!”

“Did you give him time to take in the atmosphere, warm up to the decor?” Maxine asked.

“He warmed up alright…on three refills of coffee. And all he wanted was the check! Oh ,and a coffee to go but …we don’t give those out.”

“That is the second one this week Maxine,” Mazie turned to her older sister with a befuddled look.

“Yes I know and I don’t understand it. Our sign is very clear, ‘Where to Diner’? It’s self explanatory. Isn’t it?”

“I think it is Maxine,” agreed Mazie with a bouncing nod of her head.

“Then what do you think is wrong?” Melody asked her sisters.

 The three sisters all tipped their heads in the same direction and grimaced in the same way as they thought about the strange happening- happening twice.

 

Martin, their brother, came in the back door carrying a load of fire wood for the wood burning stove. He dropped the load on the woodpile next to it and turned to his sisters.  

“Good time for some warm soup and I know Maxine has been busy making some.”

“Yes, it’s on the stove Martin. Help yerself,” Maxine offered but didn’t move from her thoughtful position.

Martin ladled the delicious soup into a bowl and asked, “How did it go Melody? Where’d the bloke wish to go to?” he asked sitting down at the large prep table with his soup as he continued, “Hope it wasn’t like the last one…a mountain top in shorts and sneakers, fool for sure. You were lucky to have put a five minute timer on that one Mazie or he’d have frozen solid.” Martin laughed.

The sister’s didn’t respond. They were still trying to figure out the problem.

“It’s never happened before this week,” Mazie mumbled.

“But it’s twice now we’ve had misfits,” Maxine added.

“So strange,” Melody murmured.

“Very strange,” Maxine nodded.

“What’s strange?” Martin asked, noticing the troubled expressions on his sisters.

Maxine looked at Martin and whispered, “Another no wish…misfit just wandered in.”

“Do you think the sign needs cleaning?” Martin asked, “I can polish it up.”

“It couldn’t hurt,” Melody agreed.

 The back door suddenly blew open and Martin stood up and walked over it.

“East wind coming in,” he said peering out at the endless forest just beyond the back door. It wasn’t what one would see if they looked down from above. It was only seen and entered through the back door of the diner.

The forest beyond was their home. It granted wishes and drew wishers to the diner and as far as Martin could see, it didn’t appear to be having a problem. “The East Wind is on time too,” he said closing the door against it.

“Then it must be a one off problem…I mean a two-off problem. But it shouldn’t occur again,” Mazie said with confidence.

All four siblings agreed with her summation, but with fingers crossed.

 “Soup is delicious,” Martin approved taking up another big spoon full, “Why aren’t you all having some?”

The sister’s were considering it when they heard the tiny silver bell jingle over the diner's front door, warning of a new visitor.

“It’s your turn,” Melody said to Mazie.

Mazie stood up, spun around once then struck a pose showing off her miniskirt, go-go boots and day glow apron, “ Is my hat on straight?” she asked Maxine.

“Yes and your 60’s décor has already settled over the diner. Now go, your wish maker is about to step into the diner.”

“And make sure they’re here for a reason, otherwise don’t feed ‘em,” Melody suggested as she shook off the 50’s attire and settle back in her chair in more comfortable clothes.

Mazie preened and giggled. “Of course they’ll ask me for a wish; I’m irresistiwishable,” she tossed out the word she’d coined for herself when they were children and heard her siblings collective groan, but it didn’t bother her. She ran a finger over lips turning them a lovely 60’s shade of orange before walking with confidence, and swaying hips, through the swinging door.