Joe and Jenny barely made it on time to work, neither feeling all that rested from their too brief nap. Gene was cool, probably noticing their condition, letting them have their quick meal despite going over their starting time. It wasn't all that busy.
Carol popped her head into the back room just as Joe and Jenny got their meals. "They said you were back here."
"Join us," Joe invited her. "I'll talk to Marco about me taking care of you. Won't be a problem. Gabby here?"
"Not yet."
"Give me a minute," Joe said, getting up while Carol sat at the table.
Joe talked to Marco, both seeing tables needing busing and mutually agreeing Joe would bus them for Marco. While bussing, Gabby arrived wearing a maroon spandex top and black spandex pants, a cute red leather jacket opened revealing her voluptuousness. She was one of the few women he'd seen who made spandex work. The only thing less appealing was her short, lesbian suggesting hair. At Bard she wore her thick black hair in a pony tail that reached all the way to her ass. Joe set his bucket down on a table and wiped his hands with the damp towel, setting that aside too and came up to her.
"Hey Gabby," he smiled. "You look great."
"The hair," she pouted. "I got sick of it."
"You're still adorable," Joe insisted.
She half smiled.
He grabbed a couple menus. "Follow me."
"Okay."
Once led to the backroom, he handed her and Carol menus. "Drinks?" he asked.
"Beer's fine," said Gabby.
After a pause, Carol decided, "Me too."
"Any preference?"
"Not really," said Gabby.
"Heineken?"
The ladies nodded.
"Give me a minute."
Joe finished bussing, let Marco know to fetch him if needed, grabbed a blank order form and ordered the beer.
"Sit Joe," Carol insisted. "Finish your dinner. We'll order after."
"If you're sure."
They nodded.
Jenny finished her meal, gave Joe a kiss, saying, "See you later," and headed out with plate and glass of soda.
Gabby pulled out a pad of drawing paper from her portfolio bag and Carol a notebook from her big purse. Gabby opened the pad to a page with a drawing illustrating egress, a few winged men and women at various stages of passing through an open window, some underground space, a basement with slatted wood floor, the right bottom quarter of the drawing filled with the back of one of these angels, her wings folded up, "Egress Dance Company Group Show" written on her back.
"It's beautiful," Joe said.
"Thanks Joe," Gabby grinned shyly.
"It really is," Carol agreed.
"Anything different?" Gabby asked.
"No," Carol decided.
"How are you printing it?" Joe asked.
"Old fashioned letter press," Gabby grinned. "I have a friend up at Bard, Barrytown actually. I actually studied with her, truly old fashioned stuff even including making paper which I'm going to do with this one too. I'll be up there when Carol does her show there."
"Cool," Joe said.
"I'll have a room there you could stay in," she winked.
"Uhm."
"Don't look at me Joe," Carol laughed along with Gabby. "There's a change in the program," Carol shifted to serious. "Sam's out and Jenny's in. Jenny's the woman who was just here."
Gabby pulled out a notebook. "Same placement?"
"No. Third I think. Jennifer Coleman. Tar Pits is the name of her piece."
"Tar Pits?" Gabby chuckled.
"You have to see it," Carol smirked.
"Coleman?"
"With an e."
"Okay."
"Okay," Joe grinned, happy at Jenny's acceptance. "Food?"
"Right," Carol said and the two ladies examined the menu. "Tenderloin medium," she decided.
"Stuffed flounder for me," Gabby decided.
"Baked potato, fries or rice."
"Baked potato," said Carol.
"Rice for me," said Gabby.
"Dressings? The usual and a creamy garlic house."
"House," they both decided.
"Another beer?" Joe asked.
"Sure," they both agreed.
"Be back soon," he smiled and scooted out with his plate and beverage.
He put in the order before doing busboy stuff, including hauling up a couple cases of beer. He got the beers then and made the salads for them. His hands were full bringing the settings as well, but being big hands he managed. Once placed, he busied himself with bussing and running dishes, pausing to bring them their food and taking the salad bowls. It wasn't all that busy at that point, so he'd sit and chat when he could.
"How's the band upstairs?" Gabby asked.
"Both bands are pretty fun," Joe remembered. The Fast and the Blessed, the latter the group of pretty boys Joe had seen at the tavern a week or so before. "The Blessed are pretty much straight ahead punk, but their reputation is cute boys so..." he shrugged. "The Fast are nuts so definitely fun."
"Want to check them out Carol?" Gabby asked.
"Sure," Carol agreed.
Carol ended up coming down later that night a bit sloshed to wish Joe goodnight. He gave her a quick kiss. "Stinky," she wrinkled her nose cutely before walking away slightly swaying.