Chapter James 2c

 Next time?  Cards at the Rainer? 

Remembering Mr. Banes praises James almost had a bounce in his step!  A half smile even. He walked through the city with a new feeling. 

James was never recognized for anything outstanding in his office before.  Nobody was.  Accounting was not an outstanding job. Men were measured by their accuracy in mathematics and even then, they were either qualified or not qualified; competent or incompetent.

He remembered James name and smacked his arm like the boys in college used to.  

It was all for the feeling of what had transpired that morning that James decided to take himself to lunch.  But not just to any place. 

He felt an excitement when he opened the door. He saw her as soon as she entered.  Her mass of chestnut hair was piled upon her head and her dark brown eyes shone brightly even from across the room as she smiled at the person she was talking to.  Seeing her at this close distance gave James a deep stir. She wore lipstick and lips looked moist and soft. Her apron was tied tightly around her waist and she laughed easily when she spoke.

"Just one?" Another waitress broke the silence of James private thoughts.  He nodded and  repeated her words back to her, at a loss for his own he confirmed, "Just one." 

She led him to a table and gave him a menu. 

"You need a minute?"  The tension was swelling inside him and he had lost him appetite, yet here he was! It was all he could do to repeat her question back to her again, "I need a minute." She sauntered off.

Meanwhile, James pretended to read the menu. Sandwich, soup...his eyes grabbed onto single words and made no connection.

Thankfully, the girl with the long hair would not be his waitress, but that would not keep him from watching her.  But would she notice him?  He had been in the restraunt once before.  It was the first time he saw her and she was had waited on him then and every day since, he couldn't get her off his mind. 

He stared again at the menu, looking for something that didn't look ridiculous to eat.  Soup? No, it was effeminate to watch a man eat soup. Sandwiches were working-class food. Steak?  Yes, knife and fork was the only way and steak made a statement.

"Steak in the afternoon? Wonder what he does for a living!"  Pauline's eyes perked up and looked over at the man in question. He had a strong face with fine features.  Tall, with good posture that was almost too good, not relaxed. His hair was parted down the middle and he wore wiry glasses.

"I bet he's a librarian!" Pauline laughed and the other waitress joined in. "Well, he's cleaner than most of the rabble in here! It's a yes for me!" 

It was a game the women played called 'would you marry him?'.   When a man walked in the two would guess what his did for a living, then they would make all manner of play of imagining things about him but ultimately the question was, would you marry him?

"Well, what do you say Paul? Yes or no?" Pauline smiled as she gave James a second look.  He was stiff and his hair was funny, but steak in the afternoon? That was something!