Lily was a bit more withdrawn, clearly less brash than Brooklyn. She was following Lorraine. Bill thought immediately they were a good match because Lorraine was more mother-like.
Their first order was for two steaks, a hamburger, and two open-faced sandwiches medium. Lily smiled, a genuine smile Bill thought, and said hello right after Lorraine introduced her. Lorraine managed to tell Bill they had both come through the other day with Tommy in the group of girls who were applying for the job and getting the tour. Bill scoped it back in his mind but his mind was getting pretty bent at the moment and so he really didn’t have much recollection of her.
Then they were busy and there was no time for messing around. Henry Lee cooked off what he had to for the start and Bill went about working the roast beef, the deep fryers and the side dishes.
On the west side, where Robert and Alvin worked, they almost always had three on the line plus the pantry girl. Because it was an open hearth, it was important for them to never be out of position, to never look flustered or overly busy. An open hearth made for a lunch or dinner show. Customers could see everything from the one dining room and very often they got up from their tables to come and see what the cooks were doing.
Robert, the numbers runner for Mr. Bowman, the leader of his church’s choir, the head honcho for both cooking crews, East and West, was never one not to give the show, never one not to engage in conversation with any customer who approached. The regulars knew him and stayed to chat as he worked. A lot of them were numbers customers and while of course they would never discuss that overtly out in the open, they did make gestures and signals and obtuse references. So Robert was really, at the same time, doing two businesses and both of them for Mr. Bowman.
Drenovis called the orders out west. Regardless of anything else he was, he was a great expediter. He was fast, fluent, fluid and clear. He sounded, almost, like one of those auctioneers.
Being a great expediter did not absolve him from anything else he was, and at times it was clear that Robert and Alvin had disdain for him. When customers were within hearing range, Robert would respond to his ordering and picking up with comments like “yes dear” or “okay sweetheart.” When they were more alone, there was chatter in undertones. Drenovis would call Robert a faggot. Robert would call Drenovis a sissy. Alvin, if Drenovis ticked him off, would tell him to kiss his ass.
There was more. Drenovis would go at Robert for swinging with Mr. Bowman, and Robert would continually chide him with the fact that he was jealous because he had more power than him. If Drenovis went to argue the fact, Robert would tell him to suck something on him and remind him he was a sissy and a pussy.
On and on.
Through it all was Lucy, the hostess with the mostest. She was like the Marilyn Monroe of Suburban although she was physically very opposite to what Marilyn Monroe had been. Lucy was thin and dark, dark hair, dark eyes, angular cheekbones. She had a near-perfect hourglass figure, small breasts, long, thin fingers always perfectly manicured.
She was a dreamboat. Many of the businessmen came there for lunch just to see her.
Lucy knew this. Mr. Bowman knew this. Everyone knew it and played to it. Those close to Lucy, those who were long-time regulars as customers and numbers players got special attention, a little extra flirt or smile or pat on the arm. They also got to play their numbers with Lucy.
