Bens Diner

Any and all participants of a sexual nature are 18 or older.

Bens Diner

To this day it amazes me how many people will order a burger, fries and a soft drink for breakfast. I offer the regular breakfast items as well, but part of the original draw to Ben's Burgers and Breakfast was that folks could have a burger anytime we were open, which included one with your eggs if you wanted. Early on my hours were an issue, that blew over in less than a month, I was open from five AM until three PM Monday through Saturday. Sunday and Sunday only I had a self-serve buffet type meal from ten AM until two PM, long enough for the church crowd and anybody else who happened to drift in.

The original diner had been small by comparison to the facility it was now, I'd bought it off old Mr. Ferguson when I retired as a Postal Carrier, for thirty two years I delivered the mail come rain, snow, cold, or heat. During those years I'd covered delivery in every section of our fifty-five hundred population town. I've always been a gregarious person; I have relatively good looks and walking miles a day Monday through Friday over thirty years has kept me healthier than many.

I had moved with my new wife to Saylesville at the ripe old age of twenty and a brand-new position with the USPS, a position that through the years was a blessing and sadly the demise of my marriage. My dreams and aspirations nowhere compared to the woman I thought I knew when we married, we'd been sweethearts since our sophomore year of high school.

Long story short, after living in what she called the edge of the earth and so far from civilization they had to pipe in sunlight, she dumped me for a High School English teacher headed for a job in of all places ... Chicago. Mind you, there was a city of over sixty thousand less than an hour away, I finally reached the conclusion she was tired of me. We'd never had children, as far as I knew she wasn't screwing him before the divorce and if she was, they weren't doing it locally, which helped me save face to some degree. I involved myself in my work, my church and my love of outdoors.

The original diner had been a morning through supper type of place, Mr. Ferguson did alright through the years, but I noticed the majority of the business was breakfast and lunch. Loving to be in the woods hunting, hiking, or snowshoeing I was one of many who wished someone would serve breakfast earlier than six thirty besides McDonalds, who opened at six. It was on that premise and listening to dozens of other early morning people that helped me decide to buy the diner and make it into something that wasn't there before. A place that opened early for breakfast and a burger any damned time you wanted, screw the breakfast menu only before eleven attitudes.

When I bought what is now Ben's and changed not only the menu, but the hours, people complained and told me I'd never make a go of it if I wasn't open for supper. In their opinion nobody would want fries or burgers at breakfast time, or only being open until three. Having been to 5 Guys several times in the city I wanted to emulate their concept of only using fresh burger and pressing each patty as it was ordered along with the double cooked fries. I knew it would go over big, with the original staff and a mountain of enthusiasm I opened the doors at five AM on a Monday and ran out of eggs twice, thankfully there was a major grocery store two blocks away.

In the weeks following I had regulars that stopped coming, but the new diners I added far outweighed those no longer eating at Ben's. There are many hunters, loggers and log haulers in our area, they all start at oh dark thirty and made Ben's their stop for breakfast every day, we maintained a large portion of the original lunch specials and items which meant our mid-day crowd remained intact. With the larger facility and a Sunday brunch added a few years later we were meeting nearly everyone's need in some manner. Which included the influx of hunters every fall for deer hunting, I would order triple what I normally did for that two-week period and was often at the brink of running out on certain items. Those people spent money like it grew on trees.

I was behind the counter topping off a cup of coffee when she walked in, looking around, taking in the facility and the patrons. Several guys looked her way and went back to their meals. You could see on her face she was used to being noticed, she was a knockout and she knew it, the kind that think their farts don't smell and men should open her door because she smiled. To be honest, she was very pretty, it was a warm day, she took advantage of that and had donned a spaghetti strap sun dress which hugged her bodice nicely and ended no more than mid-thigh.

The early bird regulars had come and gone; I usually covered the front along with two mid-morning starters while my early morning gals took an hour break before the lunch crowd started. She didn't garner any favor when she looked about saying loudly,

"Am I going be seated or not?"

I looked up, pointed at a sign stating *seat yourself* and answered, "No, go ahead and take a seat, any seat, there are plenty open."

I'd met this woman a hundred times before, oh not her specifically, but dozens just like her, arrogant, good looking, expecting others to wait on her hand and foot. Watching her walk to the far end by the windows it was quite obvious she was braless as her tits moved with each stride, her normal gait wasn't smooth, almost choppy, like she was bouncing on the balls of her feet, which in turn made her tits bounce and jiggle. Several of the guys were salivating, I made the choice to ignore her, no way was I giving her the satisfaction of knowing I liked what I saw.

Standing next to her table I asked, "Just coffee or breakfast?"

She feigned not hearing me, I ignored it and stood staring at her. She eventually got the hint and ordered a large black coffee.

"Only got one size lady, but you can have all of that you'd like, refills are on the house. Be right back."

I sent Ruth over with a carafe of regular blend. I'd gone in the kitchen and was watching, the lady was pissed, I smiled to myself. No way was I going to kowtow to her wants and desires as I'm sure she was used to, I knew I was being a prick and I really didn't care. I was back behind the counter talking with some regulars when she walked up with the bill in hand. I took it, punched it into the register and waited. She did nothing as I stared.

"Well lady, you gonna pay or do I call the cops?"

Her face became crimson red, "How much is it asshole?"

"Gee, that little screen pointed at you eye level says $1.85, or don't you know how to read?"

Tossing her credit card at me I laughed, handed it back to her and told her it was on the house. I wasn't going to run a dollar eighty-five through a credit card transaction, on the wall directly behind me a large sign stated in bold letters, *No credit card transactions under $5. Digging in her purse I could see the steam rising from her ears, when she'd finally found a dollar bill and enough change on the bottom of her purse she slammed it on the counter.

I slid it back to her, "I told you lady, it's on the house. Have a good day."

She spit and sputtered as she walked away leaving the money on the counter, I picked it up and stuffed it in the girl's tip jar. Watching her walk away I decided to sink the knife in to the hilt, I probably should have just kept my mouth shut.

"You'll have to open the door for yourself lady."

Thrusting herself through the opening she spun and flipped me off just as a mom with two kids walked past her. The mom gave her a look that could have killed, the woman hung her head and headed to the lot. I was curious what she might be driving, sure enough, an Audi Quatro, the snooty little bitch, just where the hell had she come from? Must have been traveling through. A week later on a Saturday morning guess who walked through the door again, yup, miss snooty britches. She didn't wait this time as she sauntered up to the counter and grabbed a stool, Ruth was about to pour a cup of coffee when the gal covered the cup with her hand.

She pointed at me and stated, "Him. I want him to pour my coffee."

Ruth looked amused, "Well darlin what you want and what you get aren't always the same now are they. You want this coffee or not, Ben's busy."

Snooty britches looked at me and pointed, "He isn't doing a damned thing, just standing there."

I heard Ruth tell her I was busy as I walked toward her, took the pot from her and poured the sniveling little brat a cup of coffee. Looking dead in her eyes I asked.

"That good enough for you miss? By the way, what did you do with the other dwarfs because you're obviously Grumpy?"

I walked away chuckling only to return with a menu. I tossed it in front of her and said the number three breakfast was right up her alley. One egg, one strip of bacon, seasonal fruit and a choice of toast for $3.50. She said nothing as she looked down, I took the opportunity to head into the kitchen. When I heard her asking Ruth where I was, she told her in the kitchen cooking.

Ruth finally asked, "You wanna order sumthin or not lady, we got other customers ya know. The number three? Smart choice, how you want yer egg? Soft yoke hard white, got it."

Ruth turned and yelled, "One number three, wheat toast, no snotty egg whites."

Everyone knew what she was talking about except the wanna be diva who cringed as Ruth yelled. When Ruth slid the plate in front of her the lady asked what the fruit was.

"Grapes, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cantaloupe. Fruit that's in season, just like the menu says. Eat up honey, the lunch crowd will be showing up soon and I'll need that stool."

I was at the register when she was checking out, in a snotty condescending voice she filled the air with her arrogance.

"I suppose I won't be allowed to use my card again today."

I wanted to slap the shit out of her but somehow found the wherewithal to smile as I spoke. "When I went to school three fifty and a dollar eighty-five added up to $5.35, since the sign says five bucks I think you qualify. Unless numbers have changed with all this *new math* stuff floating around."

She remained stone faced as she handed me the card, geez I was hoping this drag on my life would leave town for wherever it was she came from, and soon. I didn't see her again until six on Thursday morning, she was actually civil as she ordered coffee and a freshly baked cinnamon roll with extra glaze. Maybe it was the chauvinist in me, but I found myself thinking she must be having her period with the extra sugar glazing. Little did I know at that time she was near the end of her change of life AND that she was the new grade school administrator.

As I was topping off her cup somebody yelled, "Hey Ted, what's the special for lunch?"

I bellowed back, "Meat loaf you meathead just like every other Thursday."

She sat back and stared at me. "Aren't you Ben?" I nodded. "Then why did he call you Ted?"

"Because Ted is my name, Ben is my nickname, something that started on the senior softball team years ago and stuck. And don't ask why they started calling me Ben cuz I don't know."

"But there must be a reason. What is Ted short for, Theodore?"

"Lady you're gettin on my pip, why do you keep pushing my buttons? If you must know it's Thaddeus, named after my great granddad. Wanna know my shoe size as well?"

"Not really Thad, I think I have more info than I was seeking. Are you attending the junior high bake sale tomorrow night? It's a fundraiser for a band trip next spring."

I had thought about it, then asked. "You gonna be there?" She nodded. "Then I probably won't come, thanks for asking though, oh, and don't call me Thad."

Glaring at me she spoke softly enough that only she and I could hear, "Why are you being such a prick? I realize we got off on the wrong foot but since I'm here for at least the next two years I felt the least I could do is be friendly at the only halfway decent diner in town. I guess not though, so piss off Ben or Ted or Thad or what the hell ever your name is."

She threw a ten spot on the table and marched out, what she'd had was only six bucks with the tip, I decided I'd take her the change at the bake sale the next night. I'd gotten rid of the cooking smells in the shower, put on a flannel shirt, jeans and some ankle high boots. With a fall jacket flung over my shoulder I walked into the cafeteria looking for snooty britches, finding her behind a table making change. I saw the surprise on her face as she looked up with me standing across the table from her. I held out my hand with four one-dollar bills in it.

"Here's your change from yesterday, you forgot to take it with you."

"I didn't forget, you were being a jerk and I'd had enough, now, what can I do for you?"

Making what I thought was a wise business decision I looked at her without blinking and stated boldly, "I'll take the entire table."

"The table isn't for sale do you want bakery or not?"

I attempted to contain my shit eating grin as much as possible when I spoke, "What is it with you city people? You don't seem to be able to read, or add, or hear very well. I'll take the entire table, plainly put, I'd like to buy everything on the table, as well as everything that doesn't sell on the other tables when the sale closes at eight before the game. Is that clear enough?"

She spit and sputtered, that seemed to be something she was good at, Evelyn Ward the school secretary saved her ass by jumping into the conversation.

"Thanks Ted, I'll get all this stuff in boxes and when we're done, I'll put the rest in boxes and put them in your garage. That be okay? You can drop the money off at the office Monday."

I nodded and made my way into the gym for the first basketball game of the season. Exiting a few hours later munching on popcorn I'd bought at the cheerleaders stand I bumped into miss snooty near the door. I say bumped, not literally, we crossed paths. She was behind me as I exited.

"Sir, Ted, please wait a moment. Why did you buy all of these baked goods, you certainly can't eat all of that?"

I made the decision to put into practice something I'd learned in Sunday School and would have made my mama proud. I can still hear her words, *a soft answer turns away wrath*, as much as I wanted to unload and tell her it was none of her damned business I didn't.

"I'll have all of that on display at the diner, once folks realize it's for the kids it will be gone in two days, then I'll give all of that money to the kids as well. If that's alright with you that is. I now know you're the grand pubah of the middle school, certainly wouldn't want to cross paths with you."

She half smiled, "Thank you, your very kind. Now go away before I forget that I don't like you."

Ah hah, I was making inroads, I was not about to chase her sexy red headed curvy ass, but I would let her chase mine. I didn't see a ring on her left hand, maybe I lucked out after all, she seemed younger than me but not by much. I dropped a check off at the school office in the amount of two hundred twelve dollars, the next day everything had sold in the diner and I dropped off another check for two hundred dollars, some items had to be discounted to get them out the door. As Evelyn was thanking me the red headed wonder walked into the outer office looking straight at me.

"I want to thank you on behalf of the kids, this was such a boost for them. Again Ted, thanks."

Evelyn nudged my arm whispering, "Ted, you're supposed to say you're welcome."

"I would if I knew who I was being thanked by."

Red stepped forward, extended her hand to shake mine and spoke softly, "Chastity, friends call me Charli, you're welcome to do the same if you'd like."

Well there you have it, I had her name, but for the life of me I couldn't see how a Thaddeus and a Chastity could ever work and dismissed the thought of getting together with her. Life went on as normal, I noticed her in the diner from time to time and most Sunday's for brunch if I was present. We would nod, exchange pleasantries and be polite but that was the extent of our friendship. Round about February I saw her in the diner with a suit, he was all duded up and fancy looking. I saw them together several times after that, a sense of jealousy went through me and I didn't know why, it wasn't like she was my girl or something.

The girls were trolling for info anytime she was alone, eventually discovering he was a middle school teacher from the city forty minutes away, they had apparently met at some teacher's conference over the holidays. According to the waitresses they weren't an item, he was light in the loafers, yes, she enjoyed the adult company, no she had no plans to move elsewhere, the girls were truly talented at phishing. They were also keen to let me know they thought she might like my adult company and not just the suits, I pondered it a few days and dismissed the notion once more.

June and July were hotter than normal, I mean sweat running down the back of your ears hot, If you were outside for any amount of time there would be no sliding your underwear off to shower, you had to roll them down your legs, it was like they had melted into your skin. That drove everyone to anywhere air conditioned, or the beaches and community pool, somewhere I diligently avoided for two reasons. The first being it was too damned crowded, the second being every divorced or widowed woman in town was there dressed like a slut looking for a man to warm their bed on a permanent basis.

As I walked along the beach area of Elk Lake early one evening I couldn't help noticing an attractive and enticing figure on a lounge chair with her face hidden by a sun umbrella, though her legs weren't *toned* they were shapely and inviting, her chest was ample given her body size and her tummy was flat. Not rippling muscles six pack flat, but no noticeable fat either, walking in front of the chair I glanced down and realized it was Red, why hadn't I noticed those curves before?

I stopped in stride, "Charli, is that you under the sunglasses and straw hat?"

Lowering her glasses, she looked at me, then down her body to her toes, looked at me again and said with a smile, "Yup, it's me."

I was carrying a small cooler with a half dozen beers, not wanting to seem presumptuous I asked if she minded me sitting next to her. I offered a beer which she accepted as we looked out over the lake talking about something and at times nothing, by the time we'd finished the beer the sun was setting, time to call it a day and head home. I explained my days started at four and as much as I'd like to continue talking, I really needed to hit the rack. I walked her to her car, bid her goodnight and ventured home.

Driving home my thoughts of her were fairly tame, she hadn't indicated that she was looking for companionship and I sure as hell wasn't going to put myself out there. Speaking metaphorically, I'd been kicked in the balls enough in the past to last a lifetime. No thanks, I don't care how cute she is or how horny I might be, there was plenty of pussy around without having to make myself vulnerable.

I saw her in the diner and at the beach a few more times before the summer ended and school began, it was at a girls' volleyball game that things began to change. You may ask why I was at a girls event, I go to all the high school sports events, always have, always will, in fact a year ago I was recognized at a basketball game as the most loyal fan the school had ever had. Sitting next to Linda and Scott Hess helping cheer their daughter on I felt the bleacher next to me move, looking to the side I noticed it was red.

"Good evening Charli, how are you? I trust your day went well."