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Show Daily occurrences with cafe company smoke was a common sight in their eVAs the waitress (the hard guys called her Hilda) brought them refills in the thick, brown coffee cuds the team of workers would tease' her, tell her that her slip was showing, give her any complaints on the food and pinch her when possible. She was about twenty years old and about twenty pounds overweight. Her hair net neatly held her coal black hair and her faded pink uniform was covered with stains and multi-colored food spots. Cup of mud adjusted my burning contact lenses and plucked a menu that was wedged between the sugar jar that housed a soda cracker and the salt and pepper shakers. I decided on breaded veal cutlets and a cup of mud (coffee) as the hard guys called it. Hilda waited on me with an anxious approach. She shifted her extra weight from one foot to the next. It was like she was glad to have a newcomer around. Someone who had a different approach to ordering food and responding to her work. It was evident that many of the men there were regulars. They knew the waitress by name, didn't need a menu to order the days special and located the 5 cent gambling punch boards with no problem. As I drank my coffee, each guy by JAMES A. NELSON Chronicle Staff Any Cafe, USA-It was like many of those others, that's for certain. I nearly had to cut my way through the smoke when I walked in. Not smoke found in bars or pool halls. Smoke that consisted of fned eggs, hamburgers, toast, bacon and sausage. Short haired people look at long hairs and vice versa. That's common. Let me tell you about the looks I got. Now, my hair is rather long, but I keep it clean and it hasn't hurt anyone yet. Anyway at least ten men's heads sitting at the counter all turned simultaneously to stare as I walked by them. Each man would take his own survey, have a sip of coffee and attempt to make a humorous remark to one of his buddies. These men were carpenters, plumbers, general construction workers, and electricians. They dressed to suit their jobs and fill the mold that that goes with that type of work. Not all men who have these jobs are the same but these guys fit the description. Dirty looking They talk louder than is necessary, seem to enjoy looking dirty and hard worked, bend over the counter with elbows rested on the top while sipping coffee, and they talk out of the side of their mouth while balancing a cigarette on the other side. A squint from the change and at the same time sprinkled the floor with a light coating of dirt. They finally clanged down a few coins on the counter. While some were catching the tip and paying the bill, others wrestled with the food particles in their teeth aided with a toothpick. One carpenter car-penter wiped his brow, winked at the smiling and acknowledging waitress, adjusted his cap and then gave me a good-by greeting in the form of shaking his head in a disgusted fashion. The little bell ranq earhn. , workers opened acfc oor.Theyclimbeditoa; (not one car) and drove aw! There were only a few peop m the cafe now. None of seemed ,o be a part ,wh; lust left. Loners, and one who held hands and cooed a, each other. The open anddw sign hung on the ddorandSWro back and forth in beat to them wmked at Hilda and pdnwi finger into my empty cud put his swivel stool to good use. At five minute intervals they checked me out. I doodled with the menu and was awed at the Charles Russell Indian paintings on the walls. The walls were pale yellow and were covered with that fuzzy grease that clings around stoves. Each booth had an ash tray with the Hamm's beer bear in the middle. mid-dle. The cook was a burly expressionless ex-pressionless man in his late fifties. He would occasionally respond to a remark he heard from the harder segment of the cafe. His remarks brought on laughter from the patrons. Small selection Situated in the opposite corner from where I was, sat a not so modern looking juke box. I thought it would be nice to hear some music and clutched the only spare dime I had and made a bee-line for the machine. I smiled at the onlookers as I strutted by. I wasn't surprised at the song selection. A lot of country music and Lawrence Welk specials was all. I was surprised and had a double take twice when I . spotted one selection. It was Isaac Hayes Theme from Shaft. The box must've had an extra spot that had to be filled. I slid my dime in the slot and pressed E-6. I hot-stepped it back to my booth in time to welcome the steaming plate of veal surrounded with corn and dinner rolls. Got up and left The music came on and the heads once more did their pivot trick. I'm not sure if their lunch break was over or if the music was just too much. They all got up and left. But not before they conversed loudly on who was to pay for whom. The ones who said, "I'll catch the tip!" Well they sure let everyone know they were tipping. They stood up, dug in their pockets, jangled keys, pulled out a fistful of |
