Chapter 01 At the Ritz
Quanktumspirit: "Found the Ineffable Husbands Inktober prompt list. I'm going to be writing various one-shots based on the prompts listed on there. Creator and credits go to Chris Ren... I think. I won't earn any money ever with my fiction and this is just for relaxation and fun. Most things I will be writing about will be pure fiction based and not realistic so keep that in mind, please."
It was a strange establishment, the Ritz, opened 1890 and still running strong as ever. What started out as a small restaurant, on the verge of collapsing, the Ritz was miraculously saved by a red-haired gentleman by the name: Anthony. J. Crowley.
This man came walking one day in this small establishment, the owner: Ottofred Alcon, was in the middle ripping his hair out of his head, he had been pulled over the table by a fake dealing which bought him this run down shop of a catastrophe.
"Good afternoon sir," Anthony spoke up.
Ottofred looked up at the customer and blinked, "I'm sorry sir, but I can't offer you anything today... I can't afford to keep my establishment open."
"It's alright, my name is Anthony J Crowley by the way, I had my eye on this establishment for a while too you know," Crowly said smiling at the helpless man.
Ottofred blinked and looked at him, "Well, do you want it, sir? I can't afford to keep it open. You may have it at the sales price of $300."
But Anthony shook his head, "I'm not here to run you out of your own business, I'm here to help you. Just follow my instructions and I'll help you in opening the greatest restaurant in town."
"What sir? You sure?" Ottofred asked surprised, "Why?"
"Let's say, I'm giving you a favour, but I want something in return." Anthony smiled.
Ottofred blinked, "Ok, and what?"
"I'll tell you after we are done. Now for now, just grab a bucket, some cleaning materials and clean this place up, wash all the windows, floors, ceiling, get rid of the cobwebs, dust, spiders ect. Then clean the bathrooms, polish them up, and make them smell nice. I'll be back soon to see your progress." Anthony instructed.
With that he was out of the establishment just as fast, Ottofred blinked but decided to trust this stranger. Getting up he grabbed a broom he found in the closet and started sweeping up a pile of dust.
About a week later, the last window in the establishment was cleaned, the floor cleaned and polished, the cobwebs removed, the ceiling lights fixed and so on. The Ritz looked a lot less gloomy and abandoned and Ottofred felt proud of his accomplishment.
Exactly as promised, Anthony Crowley appeared and examined the establishment, he smiled and walked up to Ottofred.
"Is it to your liking sir?" Ottofred asked him.
Anthony nodded his head and handed him a piece of paper, "Very much so, good job. Could you just sign these two papers, please? I'm going to help you get it off the ground."
Ottofred signed, but then blinked, "Wait, do I have to pay for all this?"
He only read about 300 chairs and 100 round tables of the list before Anthony Crowley snatched it back from him.
"Don't worry, everything is covered by my own company, I just need your agreements all the time so far. And in the end, I'll explain how you can pay me back, I'll see you next week." Anthony Crowley smiled, before leaving the Ritz once more.
Ottofred blinked but put his trust in Anthony. A few day's later a huge delivery truck appeared, Ottofred saw hundreds of men and women getting out and approaching his restaurant.
"Are you Ottofred?" One woman asked, "The owner of the Ritz?"
"Um... yes madam. I'm Ottofred." Ottofred said looking a little scared.
"We got the right establishment guy's carry everything in, set it up as instructed and then clean them from the transport." The woman called to her workers.
Ottofred blinked, hundreds of people suddenly carried various round or square tables into the establishment, they carried red velvet chairs, set them in various positions up, then they hung up chandeliers, placed table cloths on the tables and within 3 hours the restaurant looked ready to go.
The woman smiled and handed Ottofred a piece of paper, "There, just like he ordered, would you be so kind and just sign the papers, then we are done for now."
"Um... how much do I need to pay for this all?" Ottofred asked scared.
The establishment now looked like billions worth, but the woman shook her head.
"Nothing, everything has been paid for in advance by your sponsor. Good day." She smiled and they left.
Ottofred smiled and nodded his head, he walked carefully around his newly constructed restaurant and touched the chairs smiling, this was beautiful.
Later that evening, Ottofred had his dinner in the upstairs flat of the Ritz, this now became his home. But now that his restaurant was established, how was he going to get the staff without paying them?
Suddenly a knock from downstairs was heard. Ottofred left his flat and walked to the door, the same man from before was standing there and smiling at him. In a hurry, he opened the door and allowed the red-haired man to enter.
"I see that everything is set up as I ordered?" Anthony asked smiling at the establishment.
Ottofred nodded his head, "Yes, I was quite overwhelmed with the cost of all these chairs, I've been searching on google about it and some of these fittings are over $200 each."
Anthony smiled, "Very good. Now to continue to your success, sir."
"Wait, Mr Crowley, can we first do some form of back payment to you? This is coming out of your own pockets, and I would feel very guilty if I don't do anything to pay you back." Ottofred begged, feeling very guilty.
But Anthony just shook his head, "There is no need. I'll tell you my back payment once you are done. Now Ottofred do you have a computer?"
Ottofred blinked and nodded his head, he leads Anthony upstairs into his small established flat and pointed at a very old computer. Anthony just rolled his eyes at it. A computer and an old printer.
"Very good, now I've set up a telephone line for you, sit at your computer and write an advertisement for the Ritz. Asking for young waiters and waitresses, chefs, cleaners, and toilet personnel." Anthony instructed.
Ottofred did just that and printed hundreds of requests out. The payment was going to be $2 an hour, sure very poor, but with fear that he was going to have to close down just as fast as he set it up, that was all he could afford.
Anthony, on the other hand, wasn't too worried, "Don't worry about affording it, sir. It will work out. Now hand me the papers and have your phone and notebook at the ready."
With that, the red-haired man took the papers and left the shop just as quickly. Ottofred bit on his lip, hoping that nothing will go wrong.
The next morning, Ottofred was up, he sat in the restaurant and waited, suddenly a knock was heard at his door at 7 AM in the morning.
As quickly as he could, he got up and saw twenty-five people standing in front of his restaurant, holding applications and looking at him with anticipations.
"Um, good morning, please everyone wait in the entrance area. I'll be interviewing you all individually." Ottofred asked looking slightly nervous.
He was greeted by Sarah Jenkins, Jane Ulm, and Peter Quaybeck as his new toilet personnel.
Clemens Dork, Lilliput Ircon, Kevin Shroeder, Vincent Joly, Ziller Monker, Alfons Corn, as his cooks. Prince Squint and Jules Link as his bartenders. Mick Frollick, Blur Shiff, Birk Clemens, James York, Rose Stein as his waiters. And last Sparkle Silver, Bianka Jenkins, Domenic Fritz and Gerhard Paulos as his Dishwasher personnel.
As they all were inside and walked around the Ritz, Ottofred escaped outside, this was becoming too much, how was he going to afford everyone's salary?
In the late evening, as the last customer was gone and his employers all bid him goodbye, some asking him out for a drink but Ottofred declined, saying he was very tired in running it all, but thanking them and wishing everyone a safe journey home.
As the door was closed and the last new employee was gone, Ottofred sat at one of the clean tables and smiled wildly. This day was perfect.
Just then someone knocked on his door, Ottofred saw it was Anthony Crowley at his door, asking to be let in.
Ottofred let him in and lead him to a cleaned table in the restaurant.
"Good evening Mr Crowley, thank you for finding me. I got now 3 cleaners, 6 cooks, 2 bartenders, 5 waiters, and 4 dishwasher personnel. Your word has spread far and wide, and hundreds of customers came today and enjoyed the cooked foods." Ottofred smiled. "I'll give you the payment I can."
But before he could get up and get the cash from his safe, the bit he didn't add in the personals allowance, Anthony stopped him.
"Don't Ottofred." Anthony smiled, "I just wish to book a table in the middle of your restaurant, for two. I'm inviting a close friend of mine for dinner."
Ottofred smiled, "Of course sir. What would you like to eat and drink?"
Anthony gave him his order and booked the table for 8 PM. Ottofred nodded his head and walked to the middle table, placing a reserved card out and he nodded his head. Anthony smiled and left the restaurant as well, turning on his way out the closed sign over.
The next evening the Ritz got flooded with customers all over again. Ottofred got a pianist to sit for this evening and play a romantic and calm song. He was all day and evening excited about Anthony's guest that was coming this evening.
Just then the door was opened and Anthony J Crowley walked in, dressed in a black suit. Next to him was a slightly shorter blond-haired man, wearing a cream coloured suit and a white shirt.
"Ottofred, glad to see you again. I take it the table is free?" Anthony asked smiling.
Ottofred smiled, "Of course Mr Crowley, and who is your friend?"
Anthony smiled and presented the hand to him, "He's my friend; Mr Aziraphale Cortese. Angel, this is Ottofred Alcon, the boss and owner of the Ritz."
Aziraphale smiled and bowed his head, Ottofred smiled and lead the two men to the free table, as promised. Anthony took the chair and let the smaller man take his place before he sat on the other side of him.
One waiter handed them the card and the blond man smiled at the card, whiles Aziraphale only ordered a pot of hot English tea.
As the two were left alone, Aziraphale looked over at his 'date'.
"This is a fantastic establishment Crowley. How did you find it?" Aziraphale asked smiling.
Crowley chuckled a bit, "Just pulled a few strings in the late '80s, then watched the Ritz grow into this successions... for us both."
Aziraphale blushed and they had an enjoyable date and many more. The Ritz became the most special restaurant in a growing friendship.
Quanktumspirit smiling, "A lovely tale. Please comment."