Tessie D

I did it. Yesterday, after school, I took Daddy’s truck and drove over to the diner in Stephenville and got a job. 

I left school after Business Accounting, with Mrs. Smith. It’s my last class of the day, and there are only six of us, so as soon as we’re finished, she lets us go if we promise to leave campus and not get into trouble. Technically, I only needed to take math and English this year to graduate, but I’m taking a few extra courses to boost my GPA and help with my college applications.

We don’t go out to eat very often — Daddy’d say “it’s too damned expensive” to go to a restaurant when we can get something and carry it home — so I’d never been to the new diner that everyone in town was talking about. 

When I got there, the parking lot wasn’t too crowded so the lunch rush must have been over. When the diner first opened, there was a lot of excitement and fanfare since the owners — my cousins, I guess I should say — built the place new, and we don’t get too many new places in Dublin or Stephenville. 

The red brick building was short and sprawling with large windows along one side and an atrium along another. Everything looked new and expensive, including the expensive black Corvette, parked out front.

Inside, the restaurant was bright and spacious. Tables lined the walls and windows, but in the center, there was an old chuck wagon that looked more like a prop from an old western movie, with large wooden wheels and a canvas canopy. Inside the wagon, on one side, was a hot food station and on the other, a salad bar. Western decor hung on the walls –lassos, paintings of horses, black and white photos of John Wayne, and even a longhorn skull.

The cashier’s station was on my left when I walked in and an older woman with dark brown hair was pulling $1 bills from her apron and laying them on the counter. I don’t think I’d ever seen that much money in my life. 

I asked to speak to the manager, Mr. or Mrs. Despare. 

“I don’t know who she is. But, Mr. Despare is here. I can get him.”

She shoved the bills back into the front of her apron and walked across the restaurant and into the kitchen. 

A few moments later, a young man walked out from the kitchen. He was tall and thin with wavy brown hair and pale, smooth skin. His eyes were deep set and dark blue. He wore a white button-down shirt and dark brown slacks with the crease still pressed down the center of each leg.

“May I help you?”

I stammered.

“Yes, I was hoping to speak to a manager. About a job.” 

“I’m the manager, Alec Despare.” He looked me over and opened his wide mouth to smile. He had so many teeth — white and straight.

The surprise must have been evident on my face. I’d expected someone a bit older but Mr. Despare must’ve only been in his early twenties. He was obviously older — and more attractive — than any of the boys in my high school, but he didn’t look exactly like an adult, yet, either. I couldn’t help but think how ridiculous that waitress must have felt calling him “Mr.” 

“My name is Tess, Tess Despare.”

Mr. Despare raised his eyebrows. But, I kept going.

“I think we might be cousins. I was hoping to meet Mr. or Mrs. Despare to apply for a job.” 

Mr. Despare nodded, “I see. Well, my father, Mr. Despare, passed away late last year, and Mrs. Despare isn’t here. She’s at home.” He paused before the final word.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

“Yes, thank you.” He looked down briefly, paused, and then looked up again. “So, you’re interested in a job? What can you do?” He was serious and his eye contact was intense and unflinching. But, before I could respond, he said, “You know what, I haven’t had lunch yet. Let’s sit down and have something to eat. You hungry?”

“No, I, uh, had lunch already.” 

“Well, I haven’t. So you can sit and watch me eat then,” he said and smiled broadly. He turned and started walking back toward the back of the restaurant. I followed him and when we passed the dark haired waitress from earlier, he stopped.

“Debbie, can you do me a favor and bring me a spinach and strawberry salad? Throw in some shredded chicken and pecans. And, an iced tea.” 

“Sure, Mr. Despare, I’ll bring it back to you.” 

We kept walking toward the back and into a small section off the main dining room. The lights weren’t on in this part of the restaurant so while the windows provided some light, the room was noticeably darker. 

Mr. Despare sat down at one of the tables, and I sat down across from him. 

“Now, tell me more about yourself. You said your name was Tess?”

“Yes, Tess Despare. I live about ten miles from here on a farm with my parents and my sister. I’m a senior in high school.”

He was looking directly at me again, and I couldn’t tell if he was blinking.

“So you’re still in high school, so that means you’re available to evenings and weekends. Do you have any special skills?”

I didn’t know how to answer the question. I had never had a job interview before.

“Well, I’ve never had a job before, but I live on a farm, so I’m a hard worker. I am always on time, and I’m smart.” I nodded, feeling better knowing all of those statements were true. 

“Are you polite? Can you follow orders?” 

I didn’t know what he was getting at, “Yes?” I corrected myself, “I mean, yes, I’m polite, and I can follow directions.”

“Good, that’s important. I need someone who is going to be nice to customers and will do what they’re told.”

The eye contact was too intense, and I looked away when couldn’t stand it any longer. Mr. Despare smiled wider, and when I looked back I noticed that he was staring at my mouth. His lips parted, as if he were about to say something, when Debbie came into the room. She was carrying a plate and silverware in one hand and a glass of iced tea in another.

“Here you go, sir.”

She set it down in front of him and turned to me, “Would you like something, too? Or, at least something to drink?”

“No, no, thank you, I’m fine,” I said. 

Debbie nodded.

“Sounds good. If you need anything else, sir, just let me know.”

She turned, but before she could get too far, Mr. Despare called back to her.

“Hey, Debbie, real quick, can you box up four of the lunch specials to go and bring them back here when they’re ready?” 

“So, have you eaten here yet? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen you in the restaurant. Surely, I’d have remembered if you had.”

“No, I haven’t. I’ve never been in here before.” I didn’t want to say too much, so I tried to change the subject, “But, it’s real nice and I know people talk about how good the food is.”

Mr. Despare smiled.

“Yes, I’m doing my best to bring some fine dining to this town.”

Then, he speared a large strawberry with this fork and held it out in front of me. Before I could say anything, he extended his arm across the table, as if to feed me. I didn’t know what to do and I didn’t open my mouth, so he moved closer. 

“Don’t be shy. We’re cousins after all. Try it.”

I didn’t know what to do. I felt uncomfortable, but Mr. Despare didn’t seem bothered by it. He was still smiling and staring at me, so I leaned forward. He’d speared the largest strawberry on the plate. I looked at him, not sure if he was serious. I didn’t want to offend him and lose this job. He was just offering me a strawberry. So, pulled it off the fork and opened my mouth wide. I bit into it and some strawberry juice run down my chin. I wiped my mouth with my hand and chewed. Mr. Despare didn’t offer me a napkin but looked at me instead and smiled.

Debbie came back into the room carrying four Styrofoam boxes wrapped in a plastic bag. She looked at me and I felt my cheeks flush. I felt guilty, as if I had been caught doing something I shouldn’t’ve. 

Mr. Despare didn’t notice Debbie, didn’t even look over toward her. He just kept staring and smiling at me.

Debbie set the boxes on the table in front of me and lingered for a moment.

“Debbie, let me borrow a pen.”

Debbie reached into the front pocket of her apron and pulled out a black pen. He reached out and took it and passed it and a napkin to me.

“Write down your address and phone number. I’ll call you later this week, and we can figure out a work schedule.” 

I wrote down my name and phone number and pushed the napkin and pen back across the table to him. Debbie was still standing there, watching us. 

“Here you go, Debbie,” Alec said, picking up the pen and handing it back to her. “Thanks so much, we’re all set now.” 

Debbie turned to leave again, and I decided that this might be a good time to follow her out.

“Thank you, Mr. Despare. I appreciate it.” I stood and waited for Alec Despare to stand up, too, but he didn’t. 

“Here, take these home with you. Dinner tonight is on me,” he said and nodded at the boxes. “Since you’ve never eaten here before. And, we’re family.” 

I didn’t know what to say. It felt awkward, “I can’t,” I trailed off but Alec interrupted me. “Yes, you can. Don’t worry about it. They’ll appreciate that you came home with dinner for everyone,” and he smiled again. 

“Uh, yeah, okay. Thanks. That’s nice of you. They’ll like that,” and I picked up the boxes. “Um, okay, so you’ll call about the job. Thanks, again,” and I turned and walked back into the light, toward the exit, and into the parking lot.

When I got outside, I exhaled, got into the truck, turned on the ignition, and drove away as quickly as I could.