Between the Lanterns (3 page)

August thought that this old guy was just about the nicest person he had met in quite a while. To be honest, most people nowadays would have told August to get lost. The South used to be famous for good manners and warm welcomes, and people still acted a little bit kindly, but not as much as when August was a boy. And according to the stories Granny had told him, the people in today’s world were right down cold and mean compared to the old days in Alabama.

As he looked at the menu, August’s day got even better. The smile that spread across his face was infectious, and John couldn’t help but make his smile bigger just to match.

“What’s got you grinnin’ like that, August?” John said warmly. “Find something other than pie on that there menu that sounds good?”

“Oh, John, I hope you don’t think less of me if I cry while I eat. I’m about to order some meat loaf, green beans, home-made biscuits, and follow it all up with some chocolate pie. Just like my granny used to make me,” August explained.

John put his fork down and wiped his mouth with a napkin. No longer smiling, but instead looking at August with affection in his wise, old eyes, he said, “August, that’s probably the most incredible thing I’ve heard in years. If you cry when you eat, boy, I’m joinin’ you. I came in here today because my ex-wife used to own this place. We divorced long before she started it, but when we were together, her cookin’ was the best in town. When we separated, I moved down to Columbus, Georgia to work at Montek.Drive to build those AutoCars. I only just found out two days ago that she passed away from The Countdown a few years back. I never even knew, August. So, even though I got no Credit, I wanted to come down and see this place. I always meant to come down here and make good with her, you know? Well, the good Lord had other plans, I guess.”

“John, I’m so sorry,” August said with kindness. “My granny also passed from The Countdown. It’s a damn shame. Pardon my language.”

“Hell no, August. You’re right. It is a damn shame. Anyway, I didn’t have any Credit to eat here until I got that message from Montek about this National Nutri-whatever Day. I only wanted some coffee and some of Cheryl’s chocolate pie. It was always my favorite. Only, once I checked in with my SmartChip, I found out that I only got enough for a cup of coffee. The pretty lady who works here gave me the pie for free out of the kindness in her heart like I ain’t seen in years.”

“Well, John, that was real sweet of her,” August told his new friend. “I’ll tell you what; let me check in and see how much they gave me and if it’s enough, we can eat our fill of whatever we want. How’s that sound to you?”

John smiled even bigger than before, if that was possible. This was turning out to be the best day he had seen since before Cheryl left him.

“You know, August, I’d be ever so grateful for that,” John said. “What say we take a look at your Montek Gift Credit?”

August grinned right back at John and opened his cellphone to check in. Almost immediately after checking in, he got a message from Montek.Credit and opened it. It was only enough for one cup of coffee.

“We’re in luck, John,” August lied, closing his phone quickly. “I hit the mother-load. Order whatever you want, sir. It’s on Montek today.”

August could not really afford this, but there was no way he was going to let this kind old man down. He had enough saved up to buy himself a new workbench, but August would rather continue using his old, rickety workbench that he had fixed up on his own than deny John a big, wonderful meal.

Chapter 3

SPARKS FLY

Samantha came out of the kitchen with both arms full of plates. Earlier she had overheard one of the customers talking about National Nutricator Day, and the Credit that Montek was giving away for real food. Well, she might hate them and their stupid machines, but at least they were doing a good thing today. Even if it was just to lure more dummies into buying their useless garbage.

She handed out all the plates and chatted with a few customers. Most of them were not very talkative – nothing new there. People weren’t friendly like they used to be, or so she had heard from Cheryl when Samantha first started at the diner. That wonderful woman had always told of how things were in the old days in New Dothan.
 

Cheryl had once said that running a diner was the best decision she ever made. Talking with the customers all day every day, making them smile with her meat loaf and chocolate pie, and being her own boss made Cheryl as happy as she had ever been. She told Samantha that her only regret was leaving her husband. Sure, he wasn’t the most thoughtful man in the world, and he had messed up pretty bad, but Cheryl had loved him still, all the way until the end. She had regretted living a large chunk of her life without her husband, John.

These customers today, though, weren’t there to chat; they were just there for free food, which they ate way too fast to enjoy the quality of, anyway. These people are used to Nutricator food, which has barely any taste. So there is really no enjoyment in eating it. With the fantastic, home-made real food sold in the diner, you need to chew slowly and enjoy every last bite. It’s uncouth not to do so.
 

Samantha glanced over to check on the kind-hearted old man she had given the pie to, just in case he needed a refill on his coffee. “Unlimited refills on coffee,” was the law in Cheryl’s Diner. Most places in town charged by the cup and that was for Nutricator coffee, which Samantha thought tasted like stewed sock juice.

As she looked over at his table, she saw someone was now sitting with the old man. A face she recognized, but couldn’t quite place. He was a handsome man, and she remembered seeing him somewhere…

“Between the lanterns!” she suddenly exclaimed.

“Excuse me, ma’am?” A woman in a nicely cut business suit said. She had frown lines and was wearing a pair of those new SmartGlasses of which Montek was currently so proud.
 

“Oh, sorry, ma’am,” Samantha apologized, then explained, “I was just thinking out loud. Can I get you need anything else?”

“No,” the woman curtly replied, as most people tended to do nowadays. “I’ve used all the free Credit Montek gave me. It was good, but I think I prefer my Nutricator’s cooking.”

Samantha had to stop herself from answering the woman rudely. It would be unprofessional to tell this lady her taste buds were broken if she liked that Nutri-trash food more than the real thing.
 

“Well, sweets, different strokes for different folks, as they used to say,” Samantha answered with a fake smile.

Over at the table with the handsome man and the older gentleman, they were having a nice conversation.

Samantha sidled up, and politely interjected, “Why hello, sweets;, fancy seeing you here. I thought we had a standing date between the lanterns. Where have you been?”

August’s next word caught in his throat as he recognized that voice. He slowly turned his head and saw the beautiful Asian woman from the blackout. He could not believe his eyes or his luck. Granny’s spirit had definitely directed him to this restaurant today. She was always meddling in his love life, even in the afterlife, it seemed.

“Uh, hi. Hi there. Long time no see, ma’am,” Augusts answered.

John looked at the two attractive young people and smirked knowingly, saying, “Well, how about that?. Y’all know each other?”

August spluttered a little trying to find a way to answer that wouldn’t embarrass him in front of this angelic woman.

Samantha beat him to it, saying, “No, sir, not really. This very kind gentleman saved me from the dark a few weeks ago when the lights went out in New Dothan for just a minute. He was as brave and gallant as a medieval knight. Weren’t you, sweets?”

August’s dark cheeks barely showed it, but he blushed hard and said, “Well, I wouldn’t say that, ma’am. I did what anyone would have done under the circumstances. I just tried to offer some comfort and let you know everythin’ would be alright. Heck, I didn’t even know you were a woman when the lights went out. I was just trying to be friendly.”

John shook his head and closed his eyes, then leaned in close to mockingly whisper, “Son, never tell a beautiful lady that you didn’t know they was a woman. It don’t really sit right with them; you catch my meanin’?”

August’s face somehow grew darker.

“Oh it’s alright,” Samantha said, trying to make August feel more comfortable. “I didn’t know I was a woman in the dark either… August, is it?”

“Yes, ma’am, it is, and this here is John,” he said, motioning to the older man. “We are just about to order a feast to celebrate two important women in our lives:; my granny and his wife. My treat. Ain’t that right, John?”

John nodded in acknowledgment, understanding that August might just be trying to impress this lady.

Samantha looked at the state of August’s work clothes, and tried real hard not to be judgmental, but being poor herself, she recognized the signs.

Before she could say anything, old John chimed in, saying, “I hope you mean Montek’s treat, young man. I don’t want you going even more broke on my account. I’ve had my pie and my coffee. I’m alright.”

“No, of course, I meant Montek’s treat, John,” August lied. “A slip of the tongue is all. I got a lot of Credit from them today for this weird holiday, you see, ma’am.”
 

August smiled at the gorgeous woman that he somehow felt already madly in love with, and finally learned her name by reading her name tag.
 

“Sam,” he said sweetly, “would you be so kind as to bring us two plates of meat loaf, two orders of green beans, and four home-made biscuits. After all that is gone, I’m havin’ some chocolate pie. And maybe John will have another?”

John rubbed his calloused, old hands together in anticipation of a feast unlike any he’d had in a long time, and gleefully replied, “I can’t say no to another slice of Cheryl’s chocolate pie! Ooo-wee, meat loaf. REAL meat loaf. Today is my lucky day, y’all.”

August and Samantha both laughed at the sweet old man’s excitement. And for just a small moment in their lives, these three people experienced what it was like in Alabama in the early days; people being kind to one another – people helping one another without any expectation of reciprocation – genuine kindness from strangers.
 

Today’s modern world was filled with too many instant gratification devices, and social media -driven interactions. No one cared to live like the old days anymore. It just took too long.

Filled with warm feelings of kindness and happiness he hadn’t felt since Granny passed away, August decided to go all in here and add, “Oh, and Miss Sam, could you also please put his first slice of pie on my tab, too. I’ll take care of that. I’ve got plenty of Credit from Montek to cover it, after all.”

Samantha sure liked the sound of that. Now she wouldn’t have to lie to Tara or pay out of her tips for that pie. Today was turning out to be a great day, just like John said.
 

“You got it, sweets,” she answered. “Coming right up, you two. Y’all get back to your chat.”

After the big meal, the fabulous dessert, and the wonderful conversation, John decided it was probably time to head back home to Columbus. He had work tomorrow, and he couldn’t afford to miss it.
 

“August,” he said with genuine compassion, “I truly appreciate what you did for me today, son. I know it wasn’t your Credit, but you didn’t have to share it with me and yet you did. In my book, that makes you a damn fine human bein’. It was a right pleasure to meet you and talk with you. I wish you nothin’ but the best of luck for the rest of your life.”

August, touched deeply by John’s gratefulness, fought back the wetness threatening to fill his eyes. It meant the world to him to have helped this kind old man. Particularly with the bond they shared over chocolate pie and The Countdown.
 

“John, if I could I would have the same lunch with you every day for the rest of my life,” August told him honestly. “You are a gem amongst the dirt, sir. I thank you for lettin’ me sit and chat with you today.”

They shook hands and, exchanged a nod and a smile, and then John left the diner to make his way back to Columbus. August patted his adequately swelled belly, and gave a, “hoo!” of satisfaction.

“I take it you’re full, Mr. August?” Samantha asked, after saying goodbye to John as he left.
 

The diner had emptied out while the two men had slowly enjoyed their meal. Watching that had made Samantha euphoric; seeing them talk, laugh, and eat all of that wonderful real food bite by lovely bite. August was now the only person left in the whole diner besides Samantha and Tara.

“Yes, Sam, I would have to say that I am,” he said with a sigh. “That was very likely the best meal of my entire life. Thank you so much. I’ll take the bill now, or whenever you’re ready.”

Samantha brought over the Montek.Credit machine to his table and placed it down in front of the handsome, dark-skinned Southern gentleman. Cheryl had once told her that people used to pay with paper money. In fact, Cheryl had held out as long as she could before getting the Montek.Credit machine. It just felt impersonal, she had said. Samantha agreed, but paper money was a thing of days long gone. The only accepted form of currency, on the entire planet, was now Montek.Credit. August pulled out his cellphone and accessed his Credit app.

“A cellphone?” Samantha exclaimed. “What in the world? I haven’t seen one of those since I was a kid! How can you use it? All the cell towers are long gone, I thought!”

August turned a little bit red again. People usually made fun of him for using his cell, but he just outright refused to wear a SmartChip. NO THANK YOU, SIR.
 

“Well, I’m a bit of a tinkerer,” August muttered, not making eye contact with the beautiful woman, “and I augmented this old phone to work with the Tesla generator, and then tapped it into the Montek.Communication satellites. It’s, uh, not exactly legal.”

He waited for the inevitable reproach that always came with this explanation. But it never came this time.