Around ten it slowed significantly. By eleven it was almost dead.
Rosie was the last to eat. Between her and Edelgarde Bill had fed the two bus boys and he he’d also fed the kitchen stewards. The stewards could have eaten in the main kitchen. Jimmy Banquet Chef would have fed them, happily too. But they wanted to hang out by The Falstaff Room because they wanted to eat steak and they knew Bill would feed them what they wanted. Steak it was.
Rosie ate a steak too. She liked hers bloody, so for her it was a quick drop it on the grill, rotate it, flip it, and do the same for the second side. She took mashed potatoes and veggies for her sides.
Just for spite, Jimmy Banquet Chef waltzed through the dining room for a second time. Bill had passed on the message of how it had piqued Caesar the first time, so it was a pleasureful and satisfying second trip. Jimmy Banquet Chef took his time, spoke with customers, joked with kids at the tables.
“Chloe is out there,” he said when he stopped back in the small kitchen. Victor was sitting where Jimmy G usually sat and Jimmy G was standing in the middle. He was working orders with Bill.
“She’s eating prime rib,” the banquet chef said. “Probably last one you cut.”
“She happy?” Bill asked.
“What do I know?” Jimmy Banquet Chef said.
“Nice piece of ass,” Victor said. “Sweet. Classy.”
“I think you got a shot with her,” Jimmy Banquet Chef said.
“Ya,” Jimmy G said.
“I’m not looking for any shots with anyone,” Bill said.
“Right, you wouldn’t throw one into her?” Victor said.
“Sure I would,” Bill said.
“Well,” Victor said, “so there it is.”
“Bet she tastes good,” the banquet chef said.
“Ya,” Jimmy G said, “bet she does.”
“Jesus Christ,” Bill said, “ain’t you got no shame?”
“We got shame,” the banquet chef said. “We’re just talking.”
“You can do more than talk,” Victor said. He smiled at Bill. “Smart money says you will too.”
“Yeah, right,” Bill said.
“Ya,” Jimmy G said.
They all stopped out by Kalista before Jimmy Banquet Chef and Victor headed off back to the main kitchen. Kalista made espresso for them all and Jimmy G and Bill hung out with them there in the pantry. They ate Greek pastry, drank the whiskey-laced espresso. They all helped Kalista load up as much as she could on their truck so she would not have much to carry back later.
While they were all laughing and working, Caesar came out to find his cooks. In all likelihood, if Jimmy Banquet Chef weren’t there his tone would been different, harsh, bossy. As it were, seeing him, Caesar simply said, and quietly too, “We have some orders.”
“See you in a few,” the banquet chef said.
Jimmy G and Bill went out to their little kitchen. They did their orders, a small stack of them, six tables in all.
Bill picked up the stack all at once, read them all, sorted them. Three of them were only specials. He hung these up on the board. The other three tables had steak and fish. These he worked by getting the needed items out and on the grills. He did the fish last, put them on flash pans, set them up, placed them in the Dutch oven.
It took a few moments to work the tables they had. Because it was slowing considerably, Rosie hung out by Bill after she’d done all she could for her customers.
“Just the lovers out there now,” she said. She smiled at Bill. “Young and stupid. But they’ll probably get laid tonight.”
“I’m young and stupid too,” Bill said.
“How you figure?”
“Should have stayed single,” said Bill. “Should have done a few things different.”
“Like what?”
“Don’t get me started,” Bill said.
