Have you ever been in a roadside cafe at 4 am? The smell of dead dreams and weariness combines with the steam and grease and ghosts of burgers past to make a heady perfume of despair and need.
Look at him. The guy that just walked in.
Not a rig pusher, not patrol, not highways. His shoes are too good. A little bloodshot 'round the eyes - he has either been crying or is a couple too many over the limit for driving. I'd guess one too many for the road, but might be mistaken. It does happen, even to me. Though him taking a booth at the back makes me pretty certain - one drink too many, and for no good reason. I'll send Dolores over. She'd get a statue talking.
"Whachu want, lover?" Slight hip sway as she stops by the booth. Nothing overt, of course, but there.
"Coffee." Abrupt. A little discourteous. As if she was a machine, rather than a fellow being.
"The coffee is shit here. Really bad." She cocks an eyebrow at him. "You don't want that."
"Fine, tea then, and a slice of apple pie."
Ah - apple pie. strange how the desperate crave it. OK, I make it well, but they just go nuts for it when they smell it. The smell of home, comfort and joy. It is a quick order to fill, excuse me one minute.
The thing with these folk, they can't handle the associations of food. Look at him. Smart enough man to have avoided the coffee, but the pie was too much to resist.
Apple pie. Scoop of vanilla ice cream - yeah, I make my own. Who wants chemical crap? The real stuff is better. He ate it in about 4 bites. Now nursing his mug of tea. Brooding.
"Hey Mister!" He jumps. "You driving the 98 Caddy? You left your lights on."
He is flustered. Stammering thanks as he pays for his pie and tea.
"No problem. We try to look out for our customers. Hope to see you again." He smiles, very unconvincingly.
"I'll certainly stop by again."
As he leaves, Dolores heads for the back door - "Going on break, Boss."
Watch. Not the main windows, where a 98 Caddy leaves the car park, with a sad, desperate man behind the wheel. Look out the side window.
Dolores unfurls her wings. She is ready to feed.
