Ding-ding! "Order up!" I sighed and put down the towel I was using to wipe off the counter and walked the few steps to roll my eyes where he could see me. "Darrell, I'm right over there and we only have one customer. I don't think the bell and the yelling are necessary." My boss shrugged and pushed the plate of eggs across the pass at me. "Sorry, kiddo. This old dog ain't learning nothing new. I been ringing that bell for a hundred years and I'll be ringing it on my way down to Hell." I couldn't help but laugh. As much as working all night left me tired and out of sync with the rest of the world I did enjoy Darrell's folksy weirdness. Over the past month we'd fallen into a comfortable rhythm to keep each other entertained while the diner was basically empty. "You're not that old, boss," I reassured him as I grabbed two slices of toast to deliver to the only other person in the place. Ding-ding! Ding-ding! Darrell rang the bell again to get my attention.
