Do You Want Fries With That?
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or lyrics used in this.
Inspired by Tim McGraw's Do You Want Fries With That?
He slipped the drive-thru headset over his wavy blond hair and prepared for another long afternoon shift. He was working in the fast food restaurant because he wasn't making enough with one job. After the divorce he had just been through, his ex-wife and her new boyfriend had cleaned him out pretty good. And the child support payments didn't help. And what baffled him more was the fact that he was indirectly paying the rent on a house he had been kicked out of with all the money he was giving them. "If I ever meet that son of a bitch, I'm going to rip his head off," he muttered to himself as he made his way to the drive-thru window. He barely noticed the stares his comment had earned him from his co-workers. He was used to their stares; it became a daily ritual for him.
"Elthman! Hurry up and get to the window! Your shift started three minutes ago!" the blond's boss called, bringing his attention back to reality. It was always his boss who reminded him that he was working that God-awful job.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming!" the blond muttered as he adjusted his headset. Three minutes was insignificant to most people but he knew his boss could and would dock his pay if he didn't start right away. That was three minutes he could not afford anymore.
Dearka Elthman was in a sad state. He had once been a very successful businessman but he made the mistake of making his wife one of his business partners. Her infidelity had caused the collapse of his blooming empire along side the collapse of his marriage. He had to make a change in his career and fast food drive-thru clerk was one of the two jobs he chose. The other had him working midnights in a small retail store, stocking shelves. He thought about everything he had lost in the divorce as he performed the monotonous task of taking fast food orders. There wasn't much he had left the marriage with. His ex-wife and her boyfriend had the house, the car, the kids, the boat, his tools, the cat, the dog, the pool, and everything else down to the kitchen sink.
'Such a smug, arrogant bastard! At least I still have my pride!' he thought and slumped back against a wall. The rush of customers at the drive-thru had come to a relative stop for the moment, allowing Dearka to take an unofficial break. He was glad for the break because he knew he'd snap at the next person who came to the pick up window. His life had become a living Hell and he thought that was a just enough cause to lash out, regardless of who it was directed at. If he had to be miserable then his customers would have to be as well. After all, to Dearka, it was only fair.
"Elthman! Stop slacking!" came the angered shout of his boss. His ever-moody boss pulled Dearka back to reality once more. This time he went back to the drive-thru window with a huge scowl on his face. The scowl remained there when he heard the little buzzer ringing, signaling that someone had pulled up to the drive-thru speaker.
With an audible growl, Dearka responded gruffly to the buzzer. "Welcome to Burger World, what can I get you today?" Dearka listened as the static crackled and a too familiar order came through: two burger world special combos and two kiddy meals. Not only was it an order he heard multiple times in the day but also it was the same one he used to order back before the divorce. 'Come to think of it, that voice did sound like I should know it,' he thought as he punched in the order and repeated the price back to the customer.
And then it hit him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a red sports car proceeding to the pick up window. His violet eyes widened in absolute horror. That was his car pulling up to the pick up window! The 1964½ bright red Ford Mustang he had purchased and restored for fun was pulling up to his drive through window. 'Oh perfect… just what I need!' he thought as he turned his back to the drive through window, his fists clenched. He heard the car come to a complete stop and scrunched his eyes shut tightly. He was going to give himself to the count of ten before turning and facing his worst nightmare.
Dearka turned and narrowed his eyes as he looked out the window. He had made up his mind during his count down. He was going to tell off that bastard who was sitting in a car that didn't even belong to him. "Heh… I thought that was your voice and I knew that was my car, Man," he started, his voice filled with fury. He raised his hand and silenced the man before he could even speak. "No, we ain't ever met before but damn, do I know who you are!"
Dearka leaned out the window and propped his elbows on the window ledge, resting his chin in his hands. He was enjoying his tirade already and he had barely started in on the man in the driver's seat. He enjoyed the way his ex and her boyfriend looked absolutely shocked to see him, how they looked shocked over what he was saying to them. "If you so much as crack a smile at me, I swear I'll come through this window and wring your scrawny neck!" he said with a grin on his face. Without another word and before anyone from the car could speak up, Dearka pulled away and grabbed their waiting order. He grabbed a few condiments and napkins that were sitting by the window and shoved them into the bag, not caring that he probably ruined one of the kiddy meals.
As the drive-thru window slid back open, Dearka roughly shoved the bags of food into the driver's hands and flashed another one of his dazzling smiles. "Ketchup's in the bag, Man. Now, I'm suppose to tell you, 'Please come back!' but how 'bout this instead? I hope you both choke on a pickle. Man, that would tickle me to death!" he told them, chuckling at his wit. He could just imagine both of them doing just what he had said. It would amuse him endlessly to see them choke on the pickle slices that adorned their burgers.
There seemed to be more horrified sounds coming from within the car and Dearka's grin widened. He glanced behind them quickly and saw a line forming. "Hell, what are you waiting for? Do you expect some change? HA! You ain't got any of that coming back to you, now get the Hell out of here!" he told them, his voice filled with joy. He was about to turn away from the window but stopped. "Oh wait, I forgot. Do you want fries with that?" He chuckled and let the drive through window slam shut. He removed his headset and slammed it down on the counter, stunning his coworkers.
With all eyes on him, Dearka Elthman walked right up to his boss and stared him down, a satisfied smirk on his face. "You know what you can do? Take this job and shove it!" he said confidently, knowing the man would never again control him. He turned away and nodded at his silent ex-co-workers. And as he started to walk out of the kitchen area, he heard them all break out in a round of applause for him. They cheered for him for standing up to the man who ruined his life and the boss who sought to control him completely. Liking the feeling that came with the applause, Dearka turned around to face his boss again. He had told one person off that day and had no qualms about making it two. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off instantly…
"ELTHMAN! What do you think you're doing! Don't just stand there staring out that window like an idiot!"
Dearka jumped and looked around him. He was still standing at the drive through window and no one was applauding him. He felt a warm flush spread across his face as he turned around to stare at his boss, who was standing behind him holding onto two bags of food. "But… I… just… and… the applauds…" the blond stammered, eyeing his boss and then the order.
"Stop your stammering and give this to the customer before it gets cold!" his boss snarled and placed the food in Dearka's hands. With a grunt, his boss walked off and Dearka turned back to the window. He couldn't believe it; he had just imagined the whole damn thing! All the brave words he had said, the things he had done… they had just been in his head. 'I should have known when everyone started cheering for me…' he thought and gave his head a shake and a dejected sigh. "Maybe one day…" he muttered before he set the food down and opened the drive through window.
"It's about time! I have half a mind to talk to your manager about how slow you are!" came an angry man's voice. Dearka just stared in shock. He had thought he had imagined his car being there but he could clearly see the familiar brown locks of his ex-wife. Sitting beside her in the driver's seat was none other than Dearka's former business rival and former friend…
"YZAK! You're the one she was sleeping around with!" the blond exclaimed, clenching his fists around the bags of food.
The silver haired man looked up and peered at Dearka from behind his designer sunglasses. With a smirk, he turned to the woman beside him and planted a kiss on her lips. Dearka let out a growl as the silver haired man turned back to face him, handing him some neat bills. "Keep the change, Dearka. You'll need it," he said before taking the bags that Dearka was holding out.
From the seat next to Yzak Dearka's ex-wife, Miriallia Haww, raised her own designer sunglasses and blew a kiss at her former spouse. "Have fun Dearka!" she called with a wave. She placed her sunglasses back on her face and her arm around Yzak's shoulders. With a laugh, Yzak revved the engine and drove off, leaving Dearka staring at the wall across from the drive-thru window. He could not believe what had just happened. He didn't know whether to cry or break something at that point.
"Oh Hell," he muttered finally and pulled away from the window. He grabbed the nearest co-worker and slapped the head set in his hands. "I'm taking my break. I need to get away from that window or I'll go crazy," he said quickly and walked off without another word. Dearka had finally lost everything to his ex-wife and her boyfriend. When they drove away from that drive-thru window, they had driven off with his pride. He slumped down out of sight and let out yet another dejected sigh. "Heh… maybe they'll still choke on their pickles. At least that thought will give me comfort," he said to himself, the mere thought bringing a smirk back to his face. They may have taken everything he valued but he knew he'd get through it. Dearka Elthman was a fighter and he knew some day he would definitely be okay again.
'Some day…'
