Stop, look and listen: SHOOFLY PIE

A young couple face each other, seated at a small round cocktail table. They don’t seem much interested in each other as they gaze out the window watching cars go by. The boy at last turns towards the girl, makes an odd sound and puckers up his lips. She looks at him and smiles. I look at him and know I wouldn’t mind tasting that honey myself. Soft words are said but I can’t hear them. He takes the check and they leave.

 

I’m not happy where I am and move over, find a busier spot and turn on my listening ears. Three tough, rough looking men sit down. A waitress appears immediately. They order a carafe of Caltibiano wine and three large pizzas with extra cheese, olives and anchovies. That’s my kind of eating. Almost unnoticed, I sit still and listen to their hushed tones. I think I pick up the word ‘bank.’ Did I hear right? They are going to rob the Sun National on Third St.

 

The pizzeria isn’t busy so I move again, keeping my back to them. The less I hear about that, the safer I will be. If they see me, I may be dead sooner than I expect. Just as the pizzas leave the kitchen two police officers come in. The biggest of the three robbers snaps his fingers at the waitress, tells her to box the pizzas, drink the wine herself and bring their check. She hurries to obey. I can see a hundred dollar bill on the table. They nonchalantly leave, never glancing toward the policemen.

 

The waitress knows me and my big family and doesn’t bother me. I can sit here all day and evening, barely eating, passing time. Customers begin coming in about 9:30. That’s when the Rialto, the movie on the next block,lets out. Teens, teens, teens should go home, finish their school assignments but don’t. They are noisy and pay no attention to me but I listen to them, hear it all. Jim doesn’t shave yet but brags how many chicks he’s laid. Solomon thinks his English teacher gave him an ‘F’ on his essay because she doesn’t like Jews. ‘Nah,’ says Donnie.’You can’t even spell right and don’t know a participle if one dangles in your face.’ ‘How about some service, Bea?’ Jim asks the waitress. Her pad and pencil are ready before he wipes the ‘better than thou’ look off his face. ‘I’ll have two slices, thin, very thin pizza, just sauce, a lot of cheese and crushed peppers on the side. Bring me a glass of Chianti, too,’Donny says. The waitress, Angie, tells him to pour the wine order down his pants. ‘You want a Diet Coke or not?’ She’s a toughie. Donny okays the coke.

 

All the talk of food , the smell are making me hungry. I take a chance and move to a table right next to the boys. Solomon stands, takes a large cardboard menu off the table to his right, looks squarely at me and swings. He’s fast, but I’m faster. 
 
 I fly to another wall and wait to be amused when his friends laugh at him.