The Scoop

The reputation of the chef draws people to the restaurant’s cuisine. Mary sits at a table waiting for her date, Roger. He is late. He never was late before she remembers. She abstains from returning glances to the few curious people. She tells them mentally, wait until you see whom I’m waiting for. Roger appears and gets admiring glances from many women. Mary smiles.
"I’m sorry I’m late," he says as he sits.
"It’s okay," she says noticing the surprise curious looks on the faces of the women.
"Lets eat fast so you won’t be late for work," he says.
"I don’t work there any more," she says.
"Oh," he says telling himself he thought that would happen but she is taking it with calm. "I have more bad news."
"Bad news?"
"I’m going to Afghanistan for a year."
"You’re a soldier?" She asks in a surprise manner.
"No. I’m a journalist, a news reporter."
"Oh, I see."
"If you find someone else while I’m away, I’ll understand the Dear John letter," he says in a suggestive manner.
"I can wait."
"I may not return right away; I could get another assignment from there."
"I understand."
"I’m sorry they fired you."
"Fired me? I didn’t get fired. I was a temp."
"A what?"
"A temp, I was just there for two weeks to maintain files while the employee was out on vacation."
Roger studies her. "The papers I asked you to get for me from that company, how did you get them?"
"I asked my supervisor for them."
He slumps in his chair.
"Are you okay?" She asks.
"Did you tell your supervisor why you wanted them?"
"Yes."
He breaks the restaurant rule and uses his cellular telephone to call his manager. From the next table, glares complain. Roger ignores them. "Did you send my report up the line?" Roger speaks into the cellular telephone. "Oh shit, I’m fucked," he shouts, startling Mary and getting inquisitive looks from others. He stands and stares at Mary as if he were calling her a stupid bitch and then rush from the restaurant. She follows but he is not to be seen. She convinces herself that he was going to leave her anyway, like the others, and walks with the crowd, wondering if she should put her bonus in the bank or spend it right away. END