Chapter 60

Ted drove toward Antonio’s. The memory of what had happened there and his loss of Kenny caused him to change his mind and find another place for them to have this conversation. He drove farther into town.

Ted parked the car in a city lot and the two walked down Main Street. The food merchants hadn’t yet brought their sidewalk tables inside. Mid-fall weather was mild enough for them to use the outdoor seating for the overflow crowds that football weekends brought.

Ted chose a table at an eatery he liked—an old, refurbished, silver passenger train car. The pair sat under the red and white striped awning outside.

An older guy literally dropped off their menus. “Coffee?” he grunted at them. The man was stout, balding, wore a stained white dress shirt open at the collar, revealing a dense tangle of black hair. A dirty apron was wrapped around his waist over which his stomach protruded.

Ted and Erik agreed to the coffee.

The man plunked the two mugs he was carrying on the table and filled them. “Cream? Sugar?” he growled.

“Not for me,” Ted said.

Erik nodded his agreement and the man walked away.

“That’s Ollie,” Ted said smiling as Erik watched the man walk to another table and repeat the performance.

“A man of few words,” Erik said, turning back to Ted.

“Ollie’s part of the local color. He and his partner Earl have run this diner for centuries. They take turns serving and cooking. Ollie’d rather cook than serve so he gets a little testy when it’s his turn with the customers.”

Erik grinned.

“If you want to eat here you have to be prepared for that and also to wait. They’re the only staff, and they do things their way. If it’s crowded, you won’t necessarily be served in order. They’ll cook three of the same orders and make a single of something else wait even if the single order was placed first. But it’s the experience of eating here that draws people.”

“When you said Ollie and Earl were partners, did you mean business or…?” Erik asked, his voice trailing off, indicating he was still uncomfortable bringing up the subject.

“It’s been rumored. They’ve been together for years, neither is married. Beyond that, I don’t know for sure.”

Ollie reappeared and brusquely asked them, “What do you want?”

Ted and Erik exchanged glances and smiled.

“Can I still order breakfast? I haven’t eaten. I slept in,” Erik explained.

Ollie thumped the menu. “Breakfast served anytime! Says so right in front of you if you bothered to read.”

Erik grimaced at the man’s gruff admonition. Ted smiled.

They both ordered a couple of eggs—Ted’s scrambled with American cheese, Erik’s over easy—smoky links, and orange juice. Ted didn’t feel they needed to be in a hurry, but since they were both hungry and, given the way meals were served at the diner, it didn’t hurt to keep it simple. Ollie sloshed a refill into their coffee cups and left without another word.

“I have a friend I brought here once,” Ted said. “I warned him beforehand that it wasn’t your typical dining experience but he did nothing but complain about Ollie’s rudeness, the slow service, and how people who had come in after us were served first. I’m sure Ollie overheard, because we had to wait even longer than usual to get our meals.”

The two fell silent. Erik gazed around, possibly watching the passers-by and taking in the uniqueness of the Fleetwood Diner, possibly trying to think of a way to start a conversation about his being gay. Ted studied him, not wanting to rush him to talk about something that was evidently so difficult.

As Ted looked at Erik’s handsome face, he felt a warmth that he knew came from being with someone you knew well and for a good amount of time. This dimension of Erik, his being gay, was new, of course, but the rest was comfortable, familiar. The traits that had made them friends in their high school years—dependability, sense of humor, trustworthiness, enjoyment of mutual things—all were still there. Ted was glad Erik had come to see him.

Ollie returned. He put the plates of food and glasses of orange juice down. Without a word he laid the check on the table and was gone.

Let’s pray. Ted thought, remembering how embarrassed he had been when Kenny made this announcement when they were eating out. Then Kenny would reach across the table, take Ted’s hands, and, in much too audible a voice, bless the meal.

Erik was already eating before Ted had finished his thought. Taking a deep, satisfied breath, and appreciating how much easier it was being with Erik, he thought, Amen! and dug in as well.