Preview for next episode: Will she be the one to save Lorelai from
destruction? Who is she, where did she come from and what does she want?
Find out next time on Gilmore Girls.
As she climbed out of the utility she had just hitched a ride in she felt the cold air hit her. But there was something different about the air in this place - it smelt of new beginnings, and even though it was cold out, it made her feel warm, comfortable for maybe the first time in her life.
She was wearing a beanie underneath a tatty Nike cap with her crazy hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. Her college style t-shirt donned the words 'Stuff it', partially covered by an unzipped yellow sweater and a two toned blue and black baseball jacket. This was met with baggy blue jeans and scuffed brown boots. The only other thing the girl carried was a worn blue backpack.
As she looked around what seemed to be the centre of town she spotted a 'food' sign, and even though the shop also possessed a hardware sign it wasn't the strangest thing she had ever come across. As she crossed the quiet street and entered the diner she wondered why such a small town would need a cross-walk. This thought was broken by the bell above her head attached to the door and a somewhat gruff looking man..
"Do you want coffee?"
The young girl looked strangely at the man and replied, "Do you automatically ask everyone who comes in here if they want coffee, or am I the lucky 100th customer or something?"
The man seemed caught of guard with this response and nervously replied, "No, you just looked like you might want coffee".
Unhappy with this she continued, "And how might someone who looks like they want coffee appear exactly?", surprising herself with the light sarcasm in her voice.
"Look, do you want coffee or not?" the man asked, starting to get impatient with the girl although not really minding the fast paced banter.
Seeing the look on the mans' face soften after realising he may have been a little harsh, the girl simply stated "No-thank-you. May I please have tea instead?"
"Tea?" he questioned. But before she could answer he continued with, "Okay, sure you want tea. Tea is good, nice and healthy".
After deciding that the man was probably talking to himself anyway, a thoughtful look appeared on the girls' face. She was looking at what surrounded her. There was a bearded man in a cardigan talking with or rather at a plump, extravagant looking lady by the window, both being observed strangely by a weedy man with a pointy nose. The few other people in the diner, probably locals, didn't seem in the least bit bothered by the increasingly noisy exchange happening just a few feet from them. There was also a guy leaning against a post outside playing a guitar. He could have been one of the most content looking people she had ever seen. The girl liked that about this town. Even though she hadn't seen much of it, everyone seemed reasonably happy. After a only a short while the curious girl was again pulled from her thoughts by the rough voice of the diner man..
"Here's your tea", he said as he placed the mug on the counter.
"Thanks". A small smile grew on the girls face as she saw the large size of the cup in front of her. It was unusual for it to be served in such a way. Most of the places she had visited served things in small sized mugs or cups to make people pay more - one of her pet hates, but she was happy and the thought was dwindled away by the warmth of the first sip of liquid.
The girl soon noticed the man had been wiping the same spot on the counter, at which she was sitting, ever since he had served her the tea. From the look on his face though it was clear he was thinking about something and she turned back to her own thoughts.
After a few minutes the man approached the girl.. "So how's the tea?"
"Very tea-ish" she replied mocking him just slightly. "Let me guess, this is the part where you ask me if I want a donut or something with the tea, sounding polite enough but really just acting like that so you can drum up some more business, right?" The girl stated quickly yet blatantly.
Looking slightly bewildered the man replied, "It's a diner, not the Ritz".
"Ohhh, right my mistake. So this must be the part where you offer me a free refill then", the girl said mischievously. Though she didn't show it, on the inside she was hoping desperately the man would comply as it was good tea and she hadn't eaten in awhile. She had decided long ago it was better not to show your weaknesses, to anyone.
"Humph", was all he could muster up in response. He grabbed the pot and much to her delight refilled the mug. **After-all**, he thought, **I did make a full pot and waste is never a good thing**.
"Thanks", the girl replied sincerely. The small diner was almost empty now. This made the girl feel more at ease as she had always hated being to close to people. Some of them were nice but quite frankly, most of them were just annoying.
Usually the man wouldn't have cared for small talk with most of his customers but there was something about this girl that he couldn't quite kick. It was like he had seen her before somewhere and he couldn't place it.
"So, are you just passing through?", he asked rather uncomfortably.
**Great, small talk. Just what I wanted** she thought, but looked up at the man and said "Yup, just passing through", hoping to end the conversation there.
She saw that the man was about to say something else but she didn't give him the chance. "Anyway, I have to go", she said, standing up to pull some money out of her jeans pocket.
The man behind the counter got the hint and replied, "Okay, here I'll put that into a to-go cup for ya".
"Thanks" the girl said, again quite sincerely after seeing that man had also toped up the cup for her. **Wow, two bouts of sincerity in one day, I must be sick** she thought, but then again, the man deserved it.
@@@@
The girl left the diner and headed toward the nearby bus-stop which she had seen on the way into the tiny town. She had been sitting there for quite awhile still holding the now empty paper cup when the plump lady from earlier in the diner approached her..
"Well hello there dear" she said in a friendly vioce.
The young girl turned to face the older lady properly and said "Hi".
The older lady continued, "I hope you aren't waiting for the bus dear, you see they aren't running this weekend, due to the union strikes in Hartford. Won't be back up till Monday at least."
"Oh, okay, thanks." She tried to hide it but the disappointment in the girls voice was evident as the lady walked away.
@@@@
As the bell once again rang over her head, the girl turned to the man behind the counter, "Don't suppose there's any chance of another free refill?" This was said in slight desperation but quickly hidden by the girl as she added with a smirk, "I still have the cup".
He could tell she had been sitting in the cold for awhile by the colour of cheeks and nose so he obliged willingly although hiding that from her. Sitting at the exact same spot she had been in before she thought of what to do next. Hitch to the next town, although it was getting late and she probably wouldn't get a ride before it got dark, and not even she would risk the road at night. Or she could sleep over night in the town, probably in the park (if they had one), because she didn't have much money, and continue on tomorrow. Or..
"Hey Mister?" She said trying to get his attention.
The man turned, glared at her slightly and replied "It's Luke".
"Right sorry, Mister Luke" she stated, knowing for well what the he had meant. Before he could respond she continued, "Do you know of anywhere I could maybe get a bit of work over the weekend?"
He knew that the girl didn't have much money and wished he could help her but he wasn't one for knowing the town goings on and knew of nothing but again the chance for him to reply was taken away.
"Oh, hello again dear", a voice from behind the young girl appeared. It was the lady who had told her about the bus earlier.
"Hi.Again", she said, now facing the lady for the second time that day.
The lady continued, "I happened to overhear your conversation with Luke here and I have it on good authority from Andrew from the book-store whose daughters' friends' mother works at the local hospital and even though she wasn't working last night she heard from another nurse who was there that one of the kitchen-hands' at the inn had a bad case of food poisoning". The lady took a breath. "So you may want to try over there. Ask for Lorelai, she's the manager. Oh I have to go dear, good luck", she finished upon seeing someone else she had to talk to.
"Thank-you" the girl yelled after the lady. She then turned to the man who she now knew as Luke and said, "Good authority huh?".
Seeing the bewildered but still amused look on the girls' face he explained, "That was Miss Patty. Dance teacher and local gossip extrodinare".
Shaking her head all she could muster up was a "Wow".
As she climbed out of the utility she had just hitched a ride in she felt the cold air hit her. But there was something different about the air in this place - it smelt of new beginnings, and even though it was cold out, it made her feel warm, comfortable for maybe the first time in her life.
She was wearing a beanie underneath a tatty Nike cap with her crazy hair pulled back in a messy ponytail. Her college style t-shirt donned the words 'Stuff it', partially covered by an unzipped yellow sweater and a two toned blue and black baseball jacket. This was met with baggy blue jeans and scuffed brown boots. The only other thing the girl carried was a worn blue backpack.
As she looked around what seemed to be the centre of town she spotted a 'food' sign, and even though the shop also possessed a hardware sign it wasn't the strangest thing she had ever come across. As she crossed the quiet street and entered the diner she wondered why such a small town would need a cross-walk. This thought was broken by the bell above her head attached to the door and a somewhat gruff looking man..
"Do you want coffee?"
The young girl looked strangely at the man and replied, "Do you automatically ask everyone who comes in here if they want coffee, or am I the lucky 100th customer or something?"
The man seemed caught of guard with this response and nervously replied, "No, you just looked like you might want coffee".
Unhappy with this she continued, "And how might someone who looks like they want coffee appear exactly?", surprising herself with the light sarcasm in her voice.
"Look, do you want coffee or not?" the man asked, starting to get impatient with the girl although not really minding the fast paced banter.
Seeing the look on the mans' face soften after realising he may have been a little harsh, the girl simply stated "No-thank-you. May I please have tea instead?"
"Tea?" he questioned. But before she could answer he continued with, "Okay, sure you want tea. Tea is good, nice and healthy".
After deciding that the man was probably talking to himself anyway, a thoughtful look appeared on the girls' face. She was looking at what surrounded her. There was a bearded man in a cardigan talking with or rather at a plump, extravagant looking lady by the window, both being observed strangely by a weedy man with a pointy nose. The few other people in the diner, probably locals, didn't seem in the least bit bothered by the increasingly noisy exchange happening just a few feet from them. There was also a guy leaning against a post outside playing a guitar. He could have been one of the most content looking people she had ever seen. The girl liked that about this town. Even though she hadn't seen much of it, everyone seemed reasonably happy. After a only a short while the curious girl was again pulled from her thoughts by the rough voice of the diner man..
"Here's your tea", he said as he placed the mug on the counter.
"Thanks". A small smile grew on the girls face as she saw the large size of the cup in front of her. It was unusual for it to be served in such a way. Most of the places she had visited served things in small sized mugs or cups to make people pay more - one of her pet hates, but she was happy and the thought was dwindled away by the warmth of the first sip of liquid.
The girl soon noticed the man had been wiping the same spot on the counter, at which she was sitting, ever since he had served her the tea. From the look on his face though it was clear he was thinking about something and she turned back to her own thoughts.
After a few minutes the man approached the girl.. "So how's the tea?"
"Very tea-ish" she replied mocking him just slightly. "Let me guess, this is the part where you ask me if I want a donut or something with the tea, sounding polite enough but really just acting like that so you can drum up some more business, right?" The girl stated quickly yet blatantly.
Looking slightly bewildered the man replied, "It's a diner, not the Ritz".
"Ohhh, right my mistake. So this must be the part where you offer me a free refill then", the girl said mischievously. Though she didn't show it, on the inside she was hoping desperately the man would comply as it was good tea and she hadn't eaten in awhile. She had decided long ago it was better not to show your weaknesses, to anyone.
"Humph", was all he could muster up in response. He grabbed the pot and much to her delight refilled the mug. **After-all**, he thought, **I did make a full pot and waste is never a good thing**.
"Thanks", the girl replied sincerely. The small diner was almost empty now. This made the girl feel more at ease as she had always hated being to close to people. Some of them were nice but quite frankly, most of them were just annoying.
Usually the man wouldn't have cared for small talk with most of his customers but there was something about this girl that he couldn't quite kick. It was like he had seen her before somewhere and he couldn't place it.
"So, are you just passing through?", he asked rather uncomfortably.
**Great, small talk. Just what I wanted** she thought, but looked up at the man and said "Yup, just passing through", hoping to end the conversation there.
She saw that the man was about to say something else but she didn't give him the chance. "Anyway, I have to go", she said, standing up to pull some money out of her jeans pocket.
The man behind the counter got the hint and replied, "Okay, here I'll put that into a to-go cup for ya".
"Thanks" the girl said, again quite sincerely after seeing that man had also toped up the cup for her. **Wow, two bouts of sincerity in one day, I must be sick** she thought, but then again, the man deserved it.
@@@@
The girl left the diner and headed toward the nearby bus-stop which she had seen on the way into the tiny town. She had been sitting there for quite awhile still holding the now empty paper cup when the plump lady from earlier in the diner approached her..
"Well hello there dear" she said in a friendly vioce.
The young girl turned to face the older lady properly and said "Hi".
The older lady continued, "I hope you aren't waiting for the bus dear, you see they aren't running this weekend, due to the union strikes in Hartford. Won't be back up till Monday at least."
"Oh, okay, thanks." She tried to hide it but the disappointment in the girls voice was evident as the lady walked away.
@@@@
As the bell once again rang over her head, the girl turned to the man behind the counter, "Don't suppose there's any chance of another free refill?" This was said in slight desperation but quickly hidden by the girl as she added with a smirk, "I still have the cup".
He could tell she had been sitting in the cold for awhile by the colour of cheeks and nose so he obliged willingly although hiding that from her. Sitting at the exact same spot she had been in before she thought of what to do next. Hitch to the next town, although it was getting late and she probably wouldn't get a ride before it got dark, and not even she would risk the road at night. Or she could sleep over night in the town, probably in the park (if they had one), because she didn't have much money, and continue on tomorrow. Or..
"Hey Mister?" She said trying to get his attention.
The man turned, glared at her slightly and replied "It's Luke".
"Right sorry, Mister Luke" she stated, knowing for well what the he had meant. Before he could respond she continued, "Do you know of anywhere I could maybe get a bit of work over the weekend?"
He knew that the girl didn't have much money and wished he could help her but he wasn't one for knowing the town goings on and knew of nothing but again the chance for him to reply was taken away.
"Oh, hello again dear", a voice from behind the young girl appeared. It was the lady who had told her about the bus earlier.
"Hi.Again", she said, now facing the lady for the second time that day.
The lady continued, "I happened to overhear your conversation with Luke here and I have it on good authority from Andrew from the book-store whose daughters' friends' mother works at the local hospital and even though she wasn't working last night she heard from another nurse who was there that one of the kitchen-hands' at the inn had a bad case of food poisoning". The lady took a breath. "So you may want to try over there. Ask for Lorelai, she's the manager. Oh I have to go dear, good luck", she finished upon seeing someone else she had to talk to.
"Thank-you" the girl yelled after the lady. She then turned to the man who she now knew as Luke and said, "Good authority huh?".
Seeing the bewildered but still amused look on the girls' face he explained, "That was Miss Patty. Dance teacher and local gossip extrodinare".
Shaking her head all she could muster up was a "Wow".