SAM'S DINER
It was just an ordinary Diner in downtown L.A
She was a single, stressed out, workaholic. He was ...well, he just was.
Bagel
Everyday the same
breakfast at ‘Sam’s Diner’
plain bagel
toasted
no topping
I sit watching the traffic
from my usual stool
elbows on the counter
pondering the day
then a voice in my ear
‘not having anything more on that?’
I glance round
deep blue eyes
black wavy hair
wide grin
a piece of bagel lodges in my throat
I shake my head
pretending annoyance
‘Nope’
he rubs his chin with his finger
dislodging a rogue crumb from his mouth
he's frowning
‘y’know you really need to dress that up a bit
a piece of ham and some-’
‘no thankyou’
he looks away, eyebrows raised
he sighs
‘if I were you-‘
‘you’re not’
he swallows
‘I was only suggesting…
maybe it would taste less-’
‘Less what?’
‘Well boring was what I was going to say-’
……………………………………..
thank God a pause
I need to finish my bagel and go
work calls
‘you come here a lot?’
pause broken-damn!
I wipe my mouth
slide off the stool
‘Breakfast is good here-most days-
well it’s been a pleasure
work calls-‘
was that defeat in those blue eyes?
‘Catch you tomorrow maybe-’
ah-not defeat
the last piece of bagel sticks in my throat…
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Breakfst at Sam's
Breakfast at 'Sams'
just the same
well nearly...
that voice in my ear - again
'See you took my advice'.
I resist turning my head
glancing down at my bagel
egg oozing from the edges
egg should slide down easily
it doesn't...
He eyes my half-filled mug
'Top up?'
I am still trying to swallow
he takes it as a yes
nods smiling at the waitress
'Two more coffees Molly'.
Glances through the misted window
'Nice day-'
Why won't this egg shift?
Why doesn't HE shift?
Why can't I shift?
He sips fresh coffee eyeing mine
'Better not let it get cold'.
I stare down into the mug and swallow
bliss-egg dislodged
where are words when you need them?
A thankyou is needed
I fumble for my purse
'Thanks'
His hand rests on my hand
pushes
'My treat.'
Alarm bells.
Two more gulps
I'm gone
I glance back from the street corner
a misted silhouette is watching
then moves away.
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Sam's 'Oven'
Sam's place was like an oven
my blouse stuck to my back
a thin line of moisture hung above my lip
I sipped my ice tea and kicked off my heels
it was quiet, too quiet, and the air was still
so still, I thought I had died
then that voice
too close
'boy is it one hot day!'
Too hot to turn around
but I knew who it was
him
I grabbed the Daily News and fanned my face
was I hot outside or inside?
'Damn fan busted again Sam-'
(Ignore him he might go away
he doesn't)
'Hi
wanna refill?'
I released the straw from between my lips
trying to act surprised and cool
failure
'Why not?'
Did I say that?
He slid round the bar and poured another two
slinking back round
settling slowly, painfully, onto a stool
next to me
'Mercy it's hot-even the flies are sun-bathing-
this'll cool you down.'
It didn't.
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Sam's Autumn
Windy outside
still inside
smell of rich perked coffee
heaven
a sudden draft
leaves blow in
'Boy, that is windy'
I smile inwardly
not daring to glance round
I smell him before he sits next to me
sandlewood and spice
his jeaned leg brushes against mine
I tremble inwardly
not daring to look up
'Mornin'
'Good morning'
I hear myself answer.
'Two coffee's Molly'
'Well I wasn't going to-
but as you're buying-'
I find myself looking up into two blue pools
a wide smile
perfect teeth
'How's work?'
he asks, eyeing up the cookies
'Work is fine thanks'
I hear myself reply.
The fresh aroma of coffee
ignites my senses
'What about you?'
'Huh?'
'Work. You do have a job don't you?'
Still too busy eyeing up the cookies
he takes two chocolate
'Two cookies Molly-
what was it you just said?'
'Nevermind-gotta dash'
'Sorta between jobs right now'
'Right'
I start buttoning up my coat
he offers me a cookie
'Might need this later'
I go to take it but think twice
'Calories'
'Go on, live a little,
I won't tell if you won't'
I smile
He smiles back
'Thank you'
'My pleasure'
I don't hear his goodbye
the wind masks it
more leaves blow in.
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Chilling at Sam's
Frost
hard frost
I slip and slide into Sam's
new boots were not a good idea
my head is on fire
beneath my woolen hat
my neck sweats
beneath my knitted scarf
I unbutton my long coat
folding it neatly on the stool
next to mine
voices in the kitchen
'Come on Sam
two hours'
'Jo-will you open your ears
and listen?'
'Look-what's two hours, huh?'
'Jo, I've already told you,
I can't afford it
Now I've hungry people to feed'
Silence
Then-
'Don't look at me like that,
I'm not the enemy
the taxman is'
'I'll make it up to you Sam,
I promise
just two little hours?'
'I must have the word 'mug' written on my forehead'
'Thanks Sam'
'Put me down! Now who is this person
you want to impress?'
'Ssh!'
'Oh-a broad, might have known'
'Ssh Sam...not too loud'
Silence
I recognised the younger voice
it's him
now I know his name
He saunters out of the kitchen
on spotting me
swallows
that smile appears
'Mornin'
'Morning...Jo'
His face freezes
he knows I heard
I sip my coffee
pretending to read the paper
uncomfortable silence
he moves slowly
round the counter
I can smell him
suddenly the paper is boring
'What's it short for?'
'Huh?'
'Jo. What is it short for?'
'Joseph'
'Joseph'
I drain my cup
I start to retrieve my coat and scarf
He moves toward me
then eyes my boots
'Expensive boots'
'Yes'
'Go careful out there, black ice'
'I know'
He beats me to the door
'Go careful, y'hear?'
I nod, trying not to laugh
'I will ... Joseph'.
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Snow at Sam's
A white blanket surrounds us
Christmas music punctuates the quiet
my coffee tastes good
he's up a ladder
throwing garlands over cross beams
his teeth grip onto a balloon
the balloon falls to the floor
a silent gentle bounce
I try not to laugh
'Damn!'
I still try not to laugh
carry on sipping my coffee
'Sam!'
No response
'Sam!'
'What!'
a voice yells from the kitchen
'I need you a minute'
'I'm busy Joseph'
I hear a long drawn out sigh
I can no longer ignore it
'Having trouble up there?'
'Nah...s'okay...I got it'
I give a shrug and try not to eye
the long legs
tightly clad in blue denim
more snow starts to fall
I suddenly don't want to leave
but I must
as I make it to the door
he decends the ladder
his eyes look down into mine
'Thanks for the offer'
'No problem'
I turn the handle
'Hey, I don't know your name'
'I know'
I make it out into the cold whiteness
the face stares at me
through misted glass
I'm gone
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Tinsel
Late night shopping
tired feet
I do something
I've never done
head to Sams
one for the road
in the far corner a tree
undressed and ready
laughing from the kitchen
he appears
carrying a large box
overflowing with tinsel
close behind
a small
dark haired female
she is pretty
she thumps him
on the back
he drops the box
grabs her
tickles her
they laugh together
I suddenly feel
intrusive
who is this girl
who makes him laugh?
too busy to notice me
too busy laughing
I decide to leave
three's a crowd
he glances up
but I'm through the door
out into the cold night
I don't see his face
his smile relaxing
the young girl
tugging his arm
'What's up?'
'Nothin'...'
'Come on then'
'Huh?'
'The tree needs tinsel'
'Yeah...tinsel...sure...'
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Irked
Avoided Sams
all last week
cross with myself
irked
I take a deep breath outside the door
it opens for me
it's him
''Mornin stranger'
I say nothing
feeling more irked
he wears his smile
widely
'Can I get you anything?'
I make him wait as I unbutton my coat
he goes to take it
I hold onto it and sit down
at the counter
he saunters round to the other side
'Coffee?'
'Please'
my 'matter of fact voice'
cutting the air
he places my coffee in front of me
along with a large cookie
I push the cookie away
'no thanks'
he pushes it back
I return it
this goes on a few more times
resting his elbows on the counter
he tries a smile
'Y'know, it's only a cookie'
'a very large cookie'
'what harm is one cookie gonna do?'
'make me fat'
'no harm in that'
'really?'
'you could do with putting on a few pounds'
'really'
he swallows uncomfortably
he sees my eyes narrowing
I'm feling more irked
'I had no idea you had been studying
my physical features so intently'
uh-oh
he sidles around to me
an appologetic look
clouding his face
'I shouldna said that,
way outa line'
'Right'
he looks above my head
I follow his gaze
mistletoe...
now I'm really irked
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Bad Timing
'Joseph!'
Voice from the kitchen
our eyes travel down
from the ceiling
they link
for a second
'Joseph!'
he doesn't move
'alright!'
he stays put
waiting
'Joseph!'
'alright already!'
he slides off the stool
walks slowly away
through into the kitchen
a door slams somewhere
muffled voices
I stir some milk into my coffee
waiting
for what?
after what seems like ages
Sam comes out
flustered and cross
'stupid!'
I study him over my mug
'okay Sam?'
he flusters about and looks up
sweat encasing each brow
'yeah-I'm okay'
but I can tell he isn't
bad timing
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Revelations and Rheindeer Hats
Sam gave a tired sigh and poured me another coffee
'On the house'
'Thanks'
I sipped the hot liquid
it tasted good
I had to ask-
'Everything alright Sam?'
he was wiping the counter down
it didn't need wiping
'When is it ever right?
Throw me a date and time why don't you?'
laughter from the kitchen
a familiar voice
she appears
dark hair and treacle eyes
wearing a Christmas apron
rheindeer hat
it's her
the ticklish one
Sam smiles
waches as she carries on dressing the tree
'How's it goin' Rachel?'
'Nearly done-would have got done sooner
if my stupid brother
hadn't goofed around'
(Brother?)
she drops the tinsel and walks over
eyes me beneath a thick
glossy black fringe
'I know you
you're the one
with the expensive boots'
I give a quizzical smile
she is sharp
I let her continue
but Sam butts in
'Rachel, where's your brother?'
'Don't ask me. Anywhere I guess'
'Well, when you see him, tell him he has
some overtime coming-
IF he can be bothered to turn up'
the rheindeer hat nods and goes back to the tree
whistling from the front door
it's him
'Got some more decs Sam'
'Haven't we got enough already?'
'Com'on - place still looks bare'
he delves down the bags with childish glee
'got some of those candy canes that light up,
and a big blow up Santa'
'Joseph. A word'
'Huh?'
'In my office?'
'You haven't got an office Sam-'
'My kitchen then?'
he glances up from the bags
I quickly glance away
not realising I have been staring at him
since he arrived.
Rachel has been watching me
she sidles up
(must run in the family)
'You fancy my brother?'
I feign astonishment
'Me?'
she keeps looking into my eyes
unnerving
'Mmmm, don't know about you'
'Sorry?'
'Someone high class like you,
eyeing up my big brother'
'Excuse me?'
Sam and 'Santa' return
he is smiling
probably glad he got some overtime
he returns to delving in the bags
then looks up
I feel his eyes burning into my back
'wanna help?'
Sam grins and carries on
wiping down the counter.
I slide off the stool
buttoning my coat
Rachel watches
then smiles at her brother
'I'll help you-
she's too busy'
I stagger out into the cold
humiliated
found out
by a rheindeer hat
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Christmas Eve at Sams
Been avoiding Sams
like the plague
but Christmas Eve
has always been good
here
it's late
11.30
I slide into a booth with my coffee
smooth columbian
fills my mouth
warms me
lights are lower than usual
Bing Crosby croons
in the distance
I gaze into my half drained mug
suddenly aware of a prescence
him
he's standing by my table
my eyes travel upwards
towel drapped over his shoulder
pencil above his ear
his eyes hold mine
then he smiles
'Wanna refill?'
'I-yes, please, thank you.'
words are sticking in my throat
like huge peach stones
he returns
but hovers
'Want anything with that?'
'No thanks...'
People start filtering in
bags of shopping
one with a small fir tree
he leaves for just a short time
only to return
this time he has a plate
with a cookie on it
iced Rheindeer face
on top
I shake my head
'No thanks...'
he looks crestfallen
'It's a Christmas special-
Cinnamon and apple-
freshly baked
try it'
I eye up the cookie
the smell is delicious
the face looks stupid
he pushes the plate to me
it nudges my hand
'Com'on-it's Christmas,
let your hair down'
he looks round and spots Molly
'Hey-Molly, takin' a break-okay?'
she nods
carries on serving
he flings down the towel
slides in oposite me
still eyeing the uneaten cookie
'You gonna eat that before it
runs away to find it's sleigh?'
I smile
he slaps the table
'She smiles, maybe I can raise a laugh
or two?'
'I shouldn't'
he glances furtively up and down the aisle
'I won't tell if you won't-honest'
he watches
as I pick up the aromatic disc
filled with raisins honey and cinnamon
I take a bite
it crumbles on my lips
disolves in my mouth
I have suddenly
gone to heaven
his smile is triumphant
'That was good huh?'
I nod
unable to speak
savouring every morsel
for one second I close my eyes
time enough for his hanky
to touch the side of my mouth
it makes me jump
'You had a little piece in the
corner...waste not want not.'
'Joseph!'
Molly's voice pierces the air
'Comin'
he points at the half eaten cookie
'I wanna see that gone
by the time I come back'
he joins Molly behind the counter
I pick up his hanky
it has the letter J embroidered
in the corner
I smell sandlewood
thirty minutes later
he is sitting back down
the cookie is still there
he frowns
'Hey, didn't I say to you about
eating your cookie?'
I pass over the hanky
he pushes my hand away
and for one moment
I feel strong fingers
enveloping mine
'Keep it, I got lots more,
probably get box loads for Christmas'
his eyes penetrate mine
just for a second
'Finish the cookie, shame to waste it...eh...
what's your name again?'
'I never told you'
he gives a sigh
'Let's make it even.
You know mine
only fair you tell me yours'
I sip my coffee
it's getting cold
'I'll get you a fresh one'
he's gone before I can say
anything
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
11.55 pm
It's late
he is closing up
I start to move out
he's there
'one for the road?'
I glance at my watch
'it's late'
'tell you what, I'll get you another coffee
you tell me your name'
'I - '
he's gone
I'm still debating staying
when he returns
he withholds my mug
'uh-uh'
I frown back
oh, what the hell
'Emma'
he smiles that smile
and hands me my coffee
'that didn't hurt did it?'
my face colours
stupid
can't remember the last time I blushed
the candle is still lit
on the table
his fingers hold something
mistletoe
'midnight...a little after
unlucky for some'
I swallow
staring at the small sprig of leaves and white berries
he twists it between his fingers
'Merry Christmas Emma'
he leans toward me
blue eyes flashing in the candlelight
'time to pucker up Emma'
my heart is starting to thud
I can hear it
I can feel it
I lean in
I can feel his breath on my mouth
cinnamon
our lips just meeting
then-
'Joseph!'
Sam breaks the spell
'Joseph, you locked up yet?'
the blue eyes close
'yeah-I've closed!'
suddenly I start to laugh
he laughs too
'when am I gonna get to kiss
those pretty lips
of yours-Emma?'
I get shakily to my feet
buttoning up my coat
he unlocks the door
I pause
'not tonight Joseph,
not tonight'
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved
Happy Ever Aftermath
Christmas
here then gone
I'm sitting
on a snow covered bench
across from Sams
the air is still
traffic slow
I try not to think of the last two days
boring
on my own
poor lonely
unsociable
workerholic
Emma
a light flicks on inside
it's him
he stops and looks out at me
I shiver
not with the cold
the door opens
he shouts
'come inside-Emma'
'no thanks'
'you wanna stick to that bench?'
'maybe'
'you'll catch your death-
come on-coffees on-
nice and hot'
I look up at the sky
pregnant with snow
what am I doing here?
He hovers
then he's putting on his jacket
he runs across to me
he looks like a lumberjack
all fleece and tartan
collar up
he plonks down next to me
rubbing his hands
'you wanna die of hyperthermia?'
'what?'
'you gotta death wish or somethin'?'
I sigh
I turn my head
to face him
his eyes stand out
even more in the
whiteness of the morning
he purses his lips
the lips I nearly kissed
Christmas Eve
'y'know,
it doesn't have to be like this'
'like what?'
'you out here, me in there.'
'but you're out here'
'well I am now...'
silence
his hand moves to mine
long strong fingers curl round mine
I can't move mine
his hand feels warm
safe
'I guess we can freeze together'
I start to laugh
so does he
his other hand appears
Mistletoe
'you gonna kiss me now 'Emma,
with the expensive boots?'
he moves nearer
I move away
until I am on the edge
I haven't the will to stand up and run
his face moves round to mine
I stare ahead
then his eyes block my vision
his lips touch mine
warm
soft
gentle
my eyes close then open
he smiles
pulls me to my feet
'come in out of the cold
Emma'
we walk back to Sams
holding hands
today is better than any Christmas
I have ever had
© HILLY KENDRICK. All rights reserved