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“Sure, hon” She flounced off and returned with both It took great restraint not to stuff the whole muffin into my mouth

Later, as I gobbledcoina Diner Monologues” Flo was funny in the way that small-toaitresses can be And friendly? Other than Amber at FPL, she was the nicest person I’d dealt with lately While I harbored thoughts of asking her to run forthat snapped me from my reverie

“Hear about that ht?”

“Murder? You’re kidding” A man two stools down spoke

“Well, according to the news I heard on the radio thisillegal aliens”

TheSpics into the country? Spics who take our jobs? Serves hiht, I say Son of a bitch”

I could feel row hot and ? The ones you don’t want The ones that pay shit

I did a long, slow count to ten Then twenty Forced h proble off on a local redneck

“Stan, they aren’t all bad,” Flo replied “Some of them work damned hard They do work no one else will take Construction, landscaping, poultry work, crabThankless stuff that doesn’t pay God knows, I should know about that”

I looked up at Flo with new appreciation She sauntered over, her coffee-pot appendage at the ready “More?”

I sh”

I settleda ten-dollar tip into her hand She looked at me as if I’d lost my mind

“You obviously work very hard,” I said “And you justThank you”

With that, I got up and walked away But not before catching the smile on her face

With a full stoer I had to make the call to Jaes from her None were there