Hot Plate

“In culture news, one of Chicago’s Michelin Star restaurants was stripped of its star after multiple complaints and health violations.”

“That’s right Jill. The Blue Star is the brain child of Chicago’s own Thomas Samuels. For years, The Blue Star was the epitome of fine dining for the elite class. Lately, with the resurgence of family style dining, The Blue Star has taken a financial hit.”

“With profits dropping and complaints about service, The Blue Star has been stripped of its one Michelin Star. Thomas Samuels has spent most of his life in the restaurant business performing various jobs including host and dish washer. When we attempted to get a comment from Samuels, he declined. This is really sad George. I remember dining there….”

Thomas Samuels turned the television off. He stood in the middle of his living room. Thomas, breathing heavily, and sweating, squeezed the remote in his hands.

“I think it’s unfair to talk about both the money problems and the customers complaining at the same time. Pick a struggle man. Why didn’t you talk to the reporter? You could have done some real advertising…” Thomas Samuels Jr. ducked as his father threw the remote at him.

“You ruined me Tommy!” Thomas Samuels bellowed.

“It’s not that bad! Give it a year and you’ll be back on top.” Tommy was nonchalant about this reduction in status.

“You’re going to tell me it’s not that bad? You?! Of all people, you are the worst thing to ever happen to me! I worked my whole life with this one goal in mind. I’ve never wanted anything more than to have the most premier Michelin Star restaurant in the country. As soon as I accomplished that goal, my junkie son comes and ruins it! If it wasn’t for you I would have my star, my restaurant, everything!”

“We don’t even know why you actually lost your star though. It could just be a conspiracy! I think it’s the other restaurant owners making sure you aren’t at your best.” Thomas Samuels looked at his son and lunged at him. He wrapped his hands around Tommy’s throat, squeezing. They knocked over a lamp and smashed a table.

“I never wanted you! I never wanted you here! You ruined everything I’ve ever wanted! If it wasn’t for you I’d have my restaurant. I’d have my star. I'd still have your mother!” Tommy swung his arm, landing a blow on his father’s ear. Thomas Samuels recoiled, allowing Tommy to push his father off. Quickly stepping Tommy pushed his father into a wall and watched him slunk on the floor. Tommy moved quickly away to catch his breath and rub his sore neck.

“The only reason I started doing blow was for you!” Thomas Samuels blinked. “Yeah that’s right. I do blow so I can keep up in your fancy restaurant with your fancy entitled customers. Unfortunately, there isn’t enough blow in the world to make you love me or proud of me. You think I want to be here? You think I like the person I am? I put myself second just so I could get a kind word from you! I hate working for you! I hate you! I wish I was never your son. Come to think of it, I probably did mom a favor. You’re right, if it wasn’t for me mom would still be here for sure, but I doubt she would be happy with you!”

“Get out Tommy!” His father said panting. “Get out of my house. Get out of my life. You are no son of mine.” Thomas Samuels picked up another lamp from a side table and threw it at his son. “Get OUT!” Tommy dodged the projectile. Tears were welling up in his eyes. Without another word, Tommy grabbed his coat and walked out of his father’s penthouse apartment.

Three years later Tommy became a line cook at the Corn Cob Diner. After his violent falling out with his father, Tommy sold everything he owned and left for Benton, Indiana. Truthfully he ended up in Benton after going on a drug induced bender. Benton was a small town that had direct access to the main highway.

Tommy spent the money on a one bedroom apartment. It was sparsely filled. In the living room was a couch, a small coffee table, and a television. In the kitchen was a coffee maker, one of each dish, and a set of pots of pans. Even that was too much since Tommy rarely cooked at home. In his bedroom was a bed and dresser. No clothes hung in his closet and he only had one pair of shoes. The bathroom continued the theme of minimalism by containing a toothbrush and one towel. Only the necessities were found in his apartment. On the days Tommy would work, he woke up, did his drugs, and went to work at the diner. If he wasn’t working he would wake up, do his drugs, and his day was finished. Tommy wasn’t doing as much drugs as he did when he worked at his father’s restaurant but still needed them. Working at the diner was a pleasant change from working fine dining.

“I need three plates of over easies, two plates of sausages, and four orders of pancakes.” Tommy yelled to himself. This made it awkward in the kitchen since he was the only one back there during his shift. He never shook his old habits. Working at the diner helped him forget the problems in Chicago.

“Hey baby, the man at the bar said he asked for his eggs fried, not scrambled.”

“Hold on.” Tommy told his older coworker. He walked over to the order ticket. He read it again and confirmed that this customer wanted his eggs fried, not scrambled. “I’m sorry Lucille, I’ll have his fried eggs ready in two minutes. Ask him if he wants some free bacon or sausage.” Tommy went back to the stove top and fixed the eggs correctly. Lucille went to ask the man if he would like extra bacon or sausage for his trouble. Just as Tommy placed the eggs on the griddle he heard a commotion in the dining area.

“I don’t want free food you dumb bitch I want my eggs!” The patron yelled at Lucille.

“Sir, that’s not necessary. You need to leave if you’re going to act like that!” The customer grabbed Lucille and spit in her face.

“Give me my damn eggs!” Tommy walked out of the kitchen.

“Hey sir I have your eggs.” The customer turned. He saw Tommy with a carton of eggs.

“What is this?” Tommy didn’t respond. Instead, Tommy began throwing the eggs at the customer as hard as he could. Eventually the man fell down. Tommy jumped on top of the man and began punching him. It took the manager, Lucille, and two of the busboys to rip Tommy off the man.

While Tommy was beating on the man, he forgot he had food on the griddle. The food began to burn and smoke. This caused the fire alarm to sound and the sprinkler system to go off. The building was evacuated. The staff of the diner stood outside while they waited for the fire department to arrive. Lucille took a rag and began wiping Tommy’s knuckles. Finally the fire department arrived and shut the alarm off. One of the firefighters went over to the manager and spoke to him. After a few minutes the two men shook hands and went their separate ways. The manager walked over to the huddled mass of employees.

“Chief says we have to go home for the day. The alarm has to be reset and we have to clean up the water.” The manager said as he rubbed his temples.

“Can I help?” Tommy asked.

“No, Tom, you’ve done enough.”

“Come on, that guy put hands on Lucille! I had to do something!” The manager held up his hand.

“I’ve had enough Tom. Just go home and I’ll give you a call later.” With that the manager turned away from the group of employees.

“I appreciate you sticking up for me, sugar. That man was looking for a problem as soon as he walked in.” Tommy glanced at Lucille and gave her a broken smile. They embraced and Tommy started walking to his apartment. It was a cold spring day. The trees were slowly defrosting from the snow, making the roads and sidewalks perpetually wet. Tommy walked with his head hung. It wasn’t a long walk from the diner to his apartment. After a few moments he arrived. He walked through the door, took off his jacket and forcefully threw it against the wall. Tommy let out a frustrated scream. Following his scream was the loud pounding of his nextdoor neighbor.

Tommy didn’t care. How could he? Everything he tried to do back fired in his face. All he thought of was getting high one more time. He gathered all his supplies onto his living room coffee table. Once organized he began to indulge in his vice. It didn’t take long for Tommy to slip into unconsciousness. Tommy finished off his bag of drugs. It was more than he usually did. The high hit him faster. The last thing Tommy remembered was his neighbor pounding on his wall.

Tommy woke up in the hospital. His entire body radiated with pain. He tried to move but felt restraints around his wrists. Panic settled in as Tommy aggressively yanked on his restraints. Fear and confusion filled his body as various beeping and alarms sounded around the disoriented Tommy. Nurses rushed into his room to try to subdue him. Tommy couldn’t speak, his jaw felt like it was wired shut.

“Just calm down, you’re ok. You’re ok.” Several nurses attempted to hold Tommy. The pressure on his limbs caused him to scream in pain. “Get a doctor now!” One of the nurses screamed. A doctor in a long white coat came in and began mixing a concoction to inject into Tommy’s IV. As soon as it was injected, Tommy relaxed and stopped fighting. He began to slip out of consciousness again.

“When will he be okay?”

“It’s hard to say at this point. It’s good he’s still in his coma. That gives the body a fighting chance. Since he sustained burns on forty percent of his body, we’ve given him antibiotics to curb any infection. His body is going through withdrawal symptoms however making healing a slow process.”

“What will happen to him?”

“He has the potential to make a full recovery. His burns will leave deep scarring, but limited nerve damage.” Tommy could hear two men talking. He slowly opened his eyes. Tommy saw a man in a long white coat he assumed was the doctor, and another man in a crisp black suit.

“What…” Samuels began to speak but couldn’t finish.

“Hey sir, don't speak, you’re in the hospital. There was a fire in your apartment complex. You were rescued by the firefighters.” The doctor explained to Tommy what he had just explained to the other man. All Tommy could do was blink in understanding. After the doctor finished explaining what happened his bid Tommy and the man goodbye.

“Hey son.” It was Tommy’s father. “I got here as soon as I could.” Tommy was surprised his father was here with him. Tommy tried to speak but couldn’t. His neck and right side of his body were the areas that were burnt. It felt like sandpaper on his throat every time he tried to speak. “Don’t talk. You don’t have to say anything.” Tommy’s father pulled a chair close to the bedside. As he did there was a knock on the door. Lucille and the manager came into the room with get-well-soon balloons.

“Hey baby! Look at you being awake! We’ve missed you at work sugar. No one can sling hashbrowns like you.” Lucille bent down and kissed Tommy on the forehead.

“Hey Tom. You’re looking better than you have in weeks.” This confused Tommy.

“How…..long?” Tommy struggled to say.

“How long? How long have you been here?” The manager and Lucille looked at each other. “It’s been six weeks.” Tommy’s eyes grew wide. “We called your dad because we didn’t know how long you would be here.” Tommy glanced at his father. The manager shook Thomas Samuels’ hand.

“Work…”

“Don’t worry about it. After the fire alarm went off the inspector came in and found some violations. We’re shutting down after this week. Here you go, don’t want to forget this.” The manager placed an envelope on the table.

“We’re going to leave now. We just wanted to see how you’re doing.” Lucille pushed their manager out of the room and followed him out. Tommy’s father went over to the envelope and opened it.

“I guess this is the best they could pay you at that hole in the wall diner.” Thomas Samuels stuffed the check back into the envelope. Tommy watched his father sit back down. “Listen. We left things really messy. When I got the call you were in the hospital, I was at your mother’s grave.” Tommy attempted to adjust in his bed but searing pain ran through his back. His father could see the discomfort. “Could you stop and listen to me! I’m not trying to fight with you. I was at your mother’s grave and I was talking to her about you and the restaurant. I told her I was sorry for hurting you, and that if I had the chance to make things right I would. Then I got the phone call.” Tommy could see tears forming and couldn’t help but begin to get choked up as well.

“Dad…” Tommy began to say.

“It’s okay son. You don’t need to say anything. I want you to come home and work for me again. Or I can buy you your own restaurant. As long as you can stay clean, which shouldn’t be a problem since you’ve been in the hospital. I’m sure once you’re all clean you’ll stay clean. I just want you home, son. It was wrong of me to blame everything on you.” Thomas Samuels attempted to lovingly lay his hand on his son’s but Tommy flinched away.

“No…diner…diner.”

“What about the diner? It’s closing down, you’re not working there anymore.” Thomas Samuels was confused.

“I…want…diner.” Every word felt like a marathon.

“You want the diner?” Tommy partially nodded yes. Thomas Samuels put his hand over his mouth and contemplated. Then he walked out of the hospital room. Tommy didn’t see much of his father after that. He spent three more weeks in the hospital healing and becoming sober. An addiction counselor had come in and helped Tommy continue his sobriety journey. On the last day of his hospital stay Tommy was let out in a wheelchair and released to Lucille. Lucille helped Tommy into her minivan and drove him to the diner.

“Lucille, why are we here? I thought this place was closed down.”

“Come on baby I’ll show you.” Lucille was smiling as she helped Tommy out of her van. Tommy saw his father and the staff standing outside the building. Tommy limped to the group of people.

“What’s going on here?”

“Tommy, I spent the last three weeks getting this place up to code. The laws are different here in Indiana but money talks the same.” Thomas Samuels winked at his son.

“I don’t understand.”

“Son, I meant it when I said I wanted to make it right between us. You wanted the diner, so I bought the diner and made it a sister restaurant to The Blue Star.” Tommy was flabbergasted and filled with elation.

“Everyone gets to keep their jobs and you get to run this place however you like, boss.” The manager said. Tommy smiled as best he could. The group of people came together to embrace Tommy but had to release him due to the pain. Tommy looked up at the new paint, and new sign in the front. He couldn’t help but feel relief that the Corn Cob Diner was going to stay open for the foreseeable future.

“Would you like to see the inside?” Lucille asked. Tommy nodded. The group walked into the diner allowing Tommy to the front. Everything was the same but cleaner, and refurbished. It was as Tommy hoped it would be, unchanged and perfect.