Bill could see that his partner was half asleep, and if not that, he surely was very busy daydreaming.
“You okay?” Bill asked him.
“Ya,” Jimmy G said. “Just very tired.”
“I think we’re gonna be busy again.”
“Ya. It’s Friday.”
“What you thinking about?” Bill asked.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Really.”
“I was thinking about home. About Greece.”
“Rather be there?”
“Of course. I have farm there. My family except for who is here. Better life for me there.”
“I’ll bet,” Bill said. He looked at Jimmy G, examined him sort of. The whole set of feelings ran through him, from the sense of sadness to the simple fact that this Jimmy was just plain lazy. Then he said, “Well I’ll go and load up the cart.”
“Ya,” Jimmy G said. “I’ll be ready for you.”
Jimmy G was ready. Bill was able to get most of the things they needed on the cart, not quite all. He would still have to make one trip back, and that was okay because they weren’t in any sort of hurry. That was one benefit of being part of the banquet team. Most often, at least so far, they had extra time for setting up The Falstaff Room.
Together, at a slow and leisurely pace, Bill and Jimmy G headed out of the main kitchen and off to their room.
Kalista, as always, was on her station. She was all set up, set up for more than 200. She was sitting in her chair reading a book. Jimmy G said something in Greek to her as they passed her. Bill didn’t say anything. He’d already said hello and chatted with her twice, first time when he’d come from the main kitchen to check their inventory, second time when he made his first trip out. This time, this trip, he and Jimmy parked the truck in the doorway so it would be quick and easy to unload. As they were doing this, Kalista brought them espresso.
Bill made the last run alone. As he did so, he thought about his first two days, about being lost every time he had to go from The Falstaff Room to anywhere on his own. Now, he still got lost every now and then depending upon where he had to go. But for most destinations he pretty much had it down.
In the main kitchen, he loaded his truck quickly. He only needed a few things so he did not have to be efficient as he did so. The only thing he had to be concerned about was not spilling anything.
Finished and ready, he told the banquet chef and Victor he’d see them later and he happily went off. Now that he’d spoken to the chef, he could just take a few minutes to go off to see Millie. He wasn’t going to apologize for Caesar. That wasn’t his place. But he was going to make sure she knew that the chef was aware of it and had already spoken to Caesar. He was going to assure her that the chef had said he wanted her to know it was handled.
Rosie and Edelgarde were in now. Pretty in purple. Truly. They were like twins, except they were far from twins physically speaking. Nevertheless, as they were happy to show Bill, they were both wearing purple lipstick and had done their fingernails and toenails in purple. Bill immediately thought of Mary, Mother Mary with her dark skin, in nothing but purple lipstick and purple mules.
To die for!
