She was standing behind the counter ready to take his order. They hadn’t expected to see each other in this situation and a flood of memories came back to her… and not in a nice way.
Some rowdy guys had already tried to sit in the closed section of the restaurant and she just wasn’t in the mood. She had spilled a glass of water on one asshole and now they were threatening to call the owner and get her fired.
“Go ahead, the owner is my dad,” she told them popping her gum… and now this ass jerk shows up! Shit.
Back in junior high there had been an all girls’ slumber party, but while the other girls were playing Chinese Checkers and UNO, Kristie had an eye out for her friend’s older brother – a studly football player who was two years older.
The girls were camped out in the rumpus room off of the garage. They had sleeping bags laid out on the floor and they were doing their hair and make-up, eating chips and drinking Diet Rite Cola. But she wasn’t interested in these innocuous games. She wanted something more dangerous.
Cheatum showed up at the door looking all the girls over like deli sandwiches in a glass case. The rest of the girls all giggled, but Kristie met his gaze unflinchingly. Outside the two of them make out like crazy. He feels her up and they dry grind as their tongues hungrily explore each other.
The other girls look out the window at the entwined couple with a mixture of jealousy and contempt. They all give Kristie the cold shoulder for the rest of the night. At school on Monday the rumors start. Supposedly the couple went all the way. It was a lie, but the rumor stuck all through junior and senior high school. Cheatum got a big rep as a player and Kristie was labeled a slore.
Back to reality, Kristie is ready to take his order. Cheatum looks at her and says, “I’m sorry about all that trouble so many years ago…” She thinks about the serious motorcycle accident he got into when he lost his foot just above the ankle. Cut down in the prime of his life. No football scholarship for him.
“Yeah,” she says popping her gum, “I lost my reputation, but you lost a foot…. What’ll you have?” He ordered a chili size and a cup of coffee. She tore the order out of her book and stuck it on the cook’s counter. She poured his coffee, exhaled forcefully and shook her head, “Karma’s a bitch.”
(First published 10/5/11)
