Got A Fair Shake by TrebleClef
The
Bettie's Diner
pylon sign hung over the street in the night sky, huge and neon-lit as we approached. It was in turquoise Miami-type on a white background, underlined with a pink squiggle. The city felt like a huge, emptying lot and a swift, curving wind blasted soda cans, paper coffee cups and lawn debris in the places people might have been on warmer nights.
"Let me know if you want anything," said Saffron. She slowed as the car neared the parking lot.
"I thought you were taking me somewhere to show me something," I said.
"I am." We pulled in. The lot was occupied by a handful of lonely cars. The inebriated Friday night stragglers were in there, munching on chicken wings, tipsy on cheap beer.
I was off balance tonight, but not from an alcohol buzz. Today, Saffron saw something I hadn't meant her to. Had I done something wrong? Maybe. But, neither Saffron nor I were ready to call our thing a
thing
. We'd been friends a year, roommates for three months. For six complicated weeks to today, we'd been something more. We'd both come out of long-term relationships and neither of us were sure we were ready for something new. We had made no agreements, set no terms and told no family or friends.
But, it had been nice to have someone to cuddle and make out with. If there was something between us, it was balanced on a pin. A small disturbance could topple everything. Maybe I had made just that mistake today. Saffron caught a glimpse of the videos playing on my screen and suddenly got weird. She sat on the couch, watched a show and said little. She was fine, she told me. My ass.
But, late tonight, Saffron knocked on my bedroom door and asked me to come with her on a drive. Didn't say what to or what for. She had something to show me.
Saffron took us around
Bettie's
drive-thru where a Chevy idled next to the big menu. Its driver yelped an order to the intercom.
"Last chance," said Saffron. "You want anything?"
"I'm not hungry. Already ate leftovers for dinner, and--"
"Fine."
"Are
you
hungry?"
"So to speak." Saffron smiled. Her brown Bambi eyes reflected the lit menu. Her smile was wide and silly. It was the first time I'd seen her smile since she saw my computer screen today, but Saff's lower lip trembled. Smile or no smile, something was off balance.
All the same, I wanted to peck that little button nose off her face. She was a short woman with olive skin and a dark collar-length bob -- she'd cut her hair after her breakup. I'd been with girls who were skinnier, taller, perhaps a touch more photogenic than Saffron. But, Saff's smile turned my heart to jelly. No other girl had ever quite done that.
The Chevy took off down the drive-thru lane. Saffron pulled up next to the big menu and dropped her window. It was late-September and that curving wind had a bite. I could feel it from the shotgun seat.
"Welcome to
Bettie's
, what can I get for you tonight?" said the intercom.
"Two extra large strawberry shakes," said Saffron. "Actually, make that three."
"Three strawberry shakes, extra large. Anything else?"
Saffron glanced my way and I shook my head. "Nope, that's it," she said.
"Okay. Your total will be $18.81. We'll have that for you in a couple minutes."
"Thank you."
She took us around the diner and waited by the curb.
"Uh..." I said.
"Yes?" said Saffron. She fluttered her lashes facetiously.
"If you don't mind my asking--"
"Uh huh?"
"What are you going to do with three extra large shakes?" I said
"Drink them. Obviously."
"All of them?"
"We'll see how much I'm up for."
"You don't drink milk."
"Normally, I don't. This is true."
"Is...is anything wrong?"
Saffron let out a quick huff. "No, Nick. Nothing is wrong."
"I mean, I'm sorry about what you saw today when--"
"There's nothing to be sorry about."
"Then, why are you--?"
The drive thru window slid open. "Three strawberry shakes," said the girl on the other side.
Saffron took the cardboard cup holder, bent with the weight of three soft drink cups. My mouth dropped at the sight of Saffron's order. As Saffron passed the drinks to me, my arms tensed under the fluid weight. These extra large shakes were
massive
.
The
Bettie's
employee passed in a handful of napkins and straws. Saffron thanked her and raised the window.
I struggled not to gape or go bug eyed at Saffron's late night treat. I kept my mouth shut as Saffron took a right onto the avenue.
A right.
That was not the way back to the apartment. "Where are we going?" I said.
"To the park."
"Why?"
She shrugged. "I just wanna hang out and no one will be there this late. Not in this weather."
I didn't know what else to say. Each cup probably held 30 ounces of shake. They must have been at least 1200 calories each. A normal sized person would be full before they got halfway into one. Did little Saffron actually plan to drink even
one
of these? She would explode.
In the dark of night, Saffron pulled up alongside the park. We were beneath the shadow of a large tree but the orange ray of a streetlamp on the other side of the road cast enough light so I could see Saffron's face in the pitch night. The gold windows of houses gleamed beyond.
"Gimme one of those," she said.
Confounded, I handed Saffron a shake. She stabbed it with a straw and sipped.
"Sure you don't want some?" she said.
"I'm...I'm sure. Besides, it's chilly." I carefully placed the cardboard cup holder and its two remaining shakes in the back seat. My legs were getting tired from holding them upright in my lap. "Uh, how is it?"
"Oh, y'know. Sugary and fattening and cold. And thick. It's kinda hard to drink."