Another Shift

The rain was pouring down and the air felt a little nippy as it was April. The restaurant that would be normally packed was empty because of the pandemic, we were finally allowed to be open and maybe this month I would not have reach out to my cousin for some rent money, if I was lucky. Tips were not pouring in since many people lost jobs and could barely afford a meal or let alone go out. The patio was open because it was the only way we could be open. I called in earlier in the morning begging to come into to work and luckily, my coworker was sick, so here I was waiting on empty tables for minimum wage.

Finally, around 3 I had my first round of customers, they seemed to be on a first or second date a fairly new couple, there was still a bit of lingering awkward energy and excitement. They sat down directly under one of the heat lamps. They sat opposites sides of each other. Looking at the menu the woman got the cheapest thing on the menu which was a Caesar salad, and the man got a burger and beer. As they waited for their food, they held hands. I noticed that the man got up and he left. What was he just going to leave here there? what was said between them that he got up and left? Was I going to get a tip? Was she still going to eat? Was he coming back? and to my relief he came back and from his pocket he pulled out a pair of gloves and passed them to the woman. She looked at him completely startled, was she not expecting him to get gloves for her? I go out with their drinks to just ease drop on the conversation.

"I thought you were going to get gloves for yourself?" she asked.

"Well, I was but your hands seem really cold," he said, and I could see her on the verge of tearing up.

That was such a small act, and she was acting like he had just bought her a palace. He drank a few sips of beer and then she slipped the gloves on and attempted to hold his hands to keep him warm, but he instead grabbed hers and wrapped them his hands.

"But you'll be cold," she argued.

"No, it's fine you need the heat more than me," he said with a wink.

"Is that all before I go back inside?" I asked them.

"We're fine thanks," they both replied at the same time.

I continued to watch their interaction she seemed to laugh a lot, he seemed to be enjoying her company too. I served their lunch, and they tried each other's food choice, then they shared a piece of lava cake together. He asked for the bill together when she was reaching for her wallet. He pulled out his card and beeped the machine.

"Oh is it okay that I paid?" he asked and she nodded, not offended by the fact that he just assumed he would pay for dinner.

"You have any plans later?" I asked them.

"Yeah, we are going to go look at a rock," she said, and he laughed lightly.

"We are going to drive to the erratic and we will just plan to from there," he said with a laugh.

"We tend to be spontaneous; it makes things fun and exciting," she added.

"No kidding? you guys just don't plan anything?" I asked shocked.

"No, because plans don't always line up, so you might as well be spontaneous and unplanned," he said and with that they both stood up thanked me for the service and left. The woman was still wearing his gloves.