Breaking Away

“Order up!”

“You don’t have to shout John I’m standing right here.”

“It’s more fun to shout, makes me feel more important than you.”

“Just don’t start f’ing and blinding, you’re not Gordon Ramsey.”

“Spoilsport.”

“Give him a break Lyra, we’re all feeling a bit jealous right now. You’re leaving us to go gallivanting off to university, let him shout a little.”

“No need to be that jealous, I’m going to be doing pretty much the same thing I’ve been doing the last 3 years. All work and no play, you know how the rest goes.”

“I take it you got that transfer then?”

“Yea, there’s no escaping for me.”

“Sure there is, give it a few more years and you’ll be working as a lawyer. That’s where the jealousy factor comes in; we’ll probably still be here. One day I could be just like Gina over there with her 20 year badge.”

“There’s nothing stopping you from getting out of here.”

“Sure there is, I’d rather spend my wages on booze and fags. No way I’d manage to give up my glamorous lifestyle to get an education.”

“Yea but if you got an education then you could earn more money meaning a real glamorous lifestyle.”

“Preaching to the choir there sweetie. I just don’t have the ambition you do.”

“I’m hearing a lot of chatter and not seeing enough work going on here ladies.”

“Sorry Tim.”

“Face it Lyra where you’re going there can’t be many managers as irritating as Tim. Yet another reason for me to be jealous.”

“Less chatter more work remember? Don’t want to lose your job, then you’d never get that 20 year badge.”

“Get moving before I hurt you.”

***

“I thought they would never leave, how do I always get stuck with the stragglers? Give us a fag.”

“Where’s the please?”

“Lyra I just spent a bloody age pandering to those idiots and they didn’t even leave a tip, fag me now!”

“Alright calm yourself, here.”

“I’m surprised you’re still here, didn’t your last table leave about 40 minutes ago?”

“Yea but I’m in no rush to get home.”

“Is your Mum still hitting the bottle?”

“Pretty much. She hasn’t come up for air since Dad left.”

“Have you still not heard from him?”

“No but it’s ok. There’s that whole time difference thing and he’s starting again from scratch so he’s got to be really busy.”

“Still got to be nice being in Australia rather than this dump. Nicer weather.”

“Yea, I don’t think it’s the weather that attracted him.”

“Do you miss him?”

“Of course, but he did what he had to. When it’s over he’ll come back. If it ends.”

“You know he’d be proud of you right.”

“Thanks Sarah, I hope so.”

“Come on if you’re not going home then I’m spending my hard earned pennies getting you drunk, seeing as all of yours are going towards that damned education.”

“You spoil me.”

“It’s what I’m here for.”

Word Count 499