My Heart's in Alabama

9 - Matt

"So, what's the deal?" I ask the next day when I see Sal at Chellie's.

It's a real nice place, that diner. It's been a town staple for as long as I can remember. It had been in the original owner's family for six generations before it was shut down after a kitchen fire. It sat on the corner abandoned for quite a few years before Sal's parents decided to buy it and get it running again. It was a lot of work for them and they dealt with a lot of crap for their decision to restore it. A lot of the old geezers in town didn't believe it should be ever restored. They'd rather let it sit on the corner burnt to a crisp than face a little change. It didn't help that Sal's family is the only African American family in town, and one of the biggest changes they made was take down an old rebel flag that had been there for over 20 years. All the good ole boys still hung up on the civil war sure had a lot to say about that, but if you ask me, the place has never looked better. I'm really proud of what the Chelsea's did and I don't miss the way it was. Not one bit.

But anyway, I stopped there for take-out for the family. My dad really didn't feel like cooking and Chellie's food was way better anyway. It also gave me a chance to get my answer from Sal.

"Can't you see I'm working here?" Sal asks with a smirk.

Sal's a waiter/busboy/whatever his parents ask him to be at the diner. Working with him is Randi Thompson, she graduated a few years ago, and Ruthie Pepperdall. Ruthie's two years above us, so she'll be a senior this fall. She also happens to be Hayden Littner's girlfriend of two years. They started dating at the beginning of her sophomore year. It's the same old story really. She's a cheerleader, he's the stud of the football team. Both Randi and Ruthie are real pretty girls so Sal enjoys his work. Probably a little more than he should.

"Well, give me an answer and I'll be out of your way," I say.

Ruthie comes over balancing a tray full of food on each arm. She places each on the counter in between me and Sal and motions for him to pick one up and help her. He does without hesitation.

"Oh brother, what did you do now?"

Sal smiles, too big in my opinion.

"Matt's trying to get me to try out for the football team," Sal answers. Ruthie smiles and in response so does Sal.

"You should do it. Hayden loves it."

Sal and I exchange glances at the mention of Hayden's name. I mean, don't get me wrong, Hayden isn't evil or terrible or anything, it's just, I don't know the situation I guess. Neither of us really has a problem with him, but he does pose competition for both of us. Sal wants his girl and I want his spot on the field.

"I don't know," Sal says.

"Do it," Ruthie says before she takes off with the tray of food. Sal lingers behind for a few seconds before he follows her with the rest of the order. They hand out what they have to and then come back to where I'm sitting at the counter.

"Okay," Sal says with both our eyes on him. "I'll do it."

"Awesome!" says Ruthie and then disappears into the kitchen. But before she does she runs her fingers through his coarse black hair. "You won't regret it."

Sal watches her as she walks away so intently that he doesn't notice my disapproving glare. At least not at first. I mean, can you believe him? His friend for, I don't know how many years, tells him he should do something and he's not sure. But when a girl tells him the exact same thing? He jumps on that bait like a starving fish.

"Don't even give me that," he says shaking his head back at me.

"What?"

"What?" Sal laughs. "You know you've done a lot worse for a lot less."