I heard someone tapping impatiently on the counter of the lunch room.
“I’d better get back. We can unload the stuff later.”
I left her and returned to the lunch room.
There was a guy standing at the counter: short, fat and wearing a fawn seers.ucker suit.
“I have a party of twenty outside,” he said. “Can you feed them?”
“Sure,” I said. “Wheel them in.”
Through the window I could see a luxury rubberneck bus parked by the
pumps. It was loaded with tourists.
I put my head around the kitchen door and warned Lola there was a rush on
the way. She nodded. No rush ever fazed her.
The lunch room got crowded, and although Lola and I worked at top pressure, there was some delay. Then a couple of trucks pulled up and the
truckers honked for gas.
Roy had finished his meal and was watching me trying to handle the rush. He
slid off the stood and came over to me.
“How about me helping out?” he said. “I can handle pumps. Okay?”
“Fine—go ahead.”
I reached under the counter and gave him the satchel containing the change.
“You’ll get the price off the pumps—they are automatic.”
He took the satchel and went out to the pumps.
For the next hour and a half we were all kept hard at it.
Finally, the tourists
left, and the place suddenly became empty. I had been busy I hadn’t had time
to see how Roy had been making out. Now I went to the window as Lola
came out of the kitchen.
Roy was on the job. He had three cars in a row waiting for gas. He worked
quickly, washing the windshields as the pump was working.
Lola joined me.
“What goes on?” she asked, watching Roy. “Who’s that?”
“That’s Roy Tracey: the guy I was telling you about, he offered to help out.
Looks like he’s doing pretty well.”
“He certainly does.”
There was a note in her voice that made me look at her. She was studying
Roy, her green eyes slightly narrowed.
“He wouldn’t want a job here, Chet?” she said. “We need help, and if you
can trust him …”
I put my arm around her and gave her a little hug.
“I was going to suggest it. That guy and I are like brothers. We can trust him,
Lola. I told him Jenson was away. We can tell him he’s gone off with some
woman and you and I are living together. He’ll understand. But maybe he
wouldn’t want to stay on here. He’s restless. Maybe it would be too lonely
for him.” I grinned at her. “At least, he won’t make any passes at you. Since
his marriage broke up he isn’t interested in women.”
She looked at me.
“He’s coming now. Ask him, Chet.”
The screen door pushed open and Roy came in. He paused in the doorway
and stared at Lola. I saw a surprised look come into his eyes. Even in her
soiled overalls she was still a woman to stare at, but that didn’t bother me.
“Roy, this is Mrs. Jenson,” I said “Lola, this is Roy Tracey.”
“I see you have been helping out, Mr. Tracey,” Lola said, smiling. “Thanks.
We had quite a rush on.”
Roy grinned at her.
“I’ll say you did! I enjoyed helping. Nice place you have here, Mrs. Jenson.”
“You like it?”
“I certainly do.”
“How about staying on then, Roy?” I said. “There’s a cabin across the way.
You can have that. The job’s worth forty a week. How about it?”
Roy looked from me to Lola, his grin widening.
“Are you sure you want me?” He was speaking to Lola. “If you do, I’d jump
at it.”
“We were only saying the other day we would have to get help,” Lola said
“Then it’s a deal.”
A Ford station wagon rolled out of the dust and pulled up by the pumps.
“Want me to take care of it, boss?” Roy said, grinning at me.
“I’ll handle it,” I said. “You two get acquainted.” I looked at Lola. “This guy
went to school with me. Treat him nicely. We’re like brothers.”
Roy gave me a light punch on the chest.
“That’s right.” He looked directly at Lola. “Like brothers.”
II
It wasn’t until after ten when things had slackened off that we three sat down
to supper. It seemed odd to have Roy opposite and Lola on my right.
Roy was enthusiastic about the job.
“This is certainly some place!” he said. “Boy! Am I glad I walked in the way
I did! This is a lot better than selling safes.”
We were eating Lola’s famous spaghetti and veal cutlets. Lola, her spaghetti
neatly rolled up on her fork, paused to look at him.
“Is that your line—safes?” she asked.
“I’ll have you know, Mrs. Jenson,” Roy said, grinning at me, “Chet and I are
the two best safe men in the country. That’s right, isn’t it, Chet?”
“Well, we’re not so lousy. I’ve known worse.”
“Chet and I started in the same business on the same day,” Roy said to Lola.
“He is a better safe man than I am, but I’m better at locks. The trouble with
him is he is too conscientious.
Ever since I’ve known him he’s pulled me out
of jams. Usually, I get him into a mess and he gets me out of it.”
“You’re going to find it pretty quiet here, Roy,” I said. “There’s not much to
do except work.”
“It’ll suit me,” he said, his expression suddenly serious, “but what will Mr. Jenson say when he comes back and finds he has another mouth to feed?” He
looked at Lola. “I would like to think this is a permanent job, Mrs. Jenson.”
“I’m not sure he is coming back,” Lola said, picking up her cue fast.
Roy blinked.
“Is that a fact?” He looked quickly at me, then at her. “Some trouble?”
“The usual.” She made it sound very casual. “I haven’t told anyone yet, but I
don’t think he’s coming back. He’s found someone he likes better than me.”
Roy looked embarrassed.
“I’m sorry …”
She smiled at him.
“You don’t have to be.” She reached out and put her hand on mine. “You see,
Chet and I . . .” She stopped and squeezed my hand. “At least my husband
left me this place—and Chet.”
Roy shook his head wonderingly at me.
“What a guy! Talk about luck!”
“That’s the way it is.” I pushed back my chair. “Come over to the cabin, Roy.
You may as well get settled in.”
Roy stood up.
“Thanks for the swell meal, Mrs. Jenson.”
She smiled up at him.
“You’d better call me Lola. We’re not formal here.”
“Okay. How about helping with the dishes?”
“I’ll do it. You go with Chet.”
As we walked across the moonlit sand to the cabin, Roy said, “Some chick!
I’m glad for you, Chet. You’re sure I won’t be in the way?”
“Of course not. The one thing this place lacks for me has been male company.”
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