Nobody's Business

What the Waiter Knew
By: Mariel

He come during very, very busy time of day, holding book he write what I say in. He show me picture, ask if I know man.

Of course I know Jack.

I tell him we busy restaurant. Many people come to eat here. They come back because food is good. They bring friends who bring friends. That is good business. Jack Malone good customer, so I know him. He has bad knee and walk with limp when he tired. He have wife, two kid. He work not far from here. Yeah, I know him.

So I tell man yes, he Jack Malone. Good man. Good customer.

Then he ask who he come with.

Funny question. I tell him he come with friends.

The man frown, then ask if Jack come with woman.

Now I am the one to frown.

And wish maybe I pretend to not know English.

Who this man, I ask myself, that ask so many question? Why he bother me? I am busy, have work to do.

I ask who is he. He show me F.B.I. badge. Like it mean I tell him everything, just because.

Huh.

So I tell him yes, one time he come with woman.

He look at me. Who was woman, he ask. What she look like?

Ha. I tell him he bring his wife. I tell him I do not think she like our food. And I tell him that even so, she polite and smile when she go.

I know she not come back. Jack like food that bring heat to your blood. She find our food too spicy. Strange that two such people would marry. How can you share life if you do not share food you eat?

Foolish man then ask what wife look like.

What? He don't know? Why don't he go take picture?

But I know why he ask.

I tell him wife look like any wife. Brown hair. Maybe brown eyes. Maybe tall, maybe short. I tell you - it is hard to tell one from the other if you do not know them. I see her only one time. I tell him the woman was just a woman.

He did not like my answer.

Brown hair? he ask, like maybe my memory bad.

Now I know for sure why he ask.

Too bad for him.

I nod. Yes, brown hair, I tell him. Like your suit, I say.

He ask if Jack come with someone else sometime.

I tell stupid that Jack not been here for long time. I tell him perhaps Jack leave city, because we do not see him anymore.

The man frown at me. He show me picture. I shake my head, say I never see that woman before. Who is she? I ask. The man did not answer.

I think why does he have these pictures? Why should I tell him anything? Jack come many time after he bring wife. With woman in the picture. But who is this man? Why he want to know these things? Why should I tell him?

I think it better to say nothing. She not his wife, but first time he bring Sam here (funny name for a woman, but in America I see many funny things) I know she is special to him. He listen to her and she listen to him. She use chopsticks properly. She like fire in her food, too. First time they here, he sad and quiet. She make him not so much.

It was good.

I know they come again maybe five, maybe six week after first time. Sat at same table. Wisely choose new dish I tell them is good. They like it and order it many time after that.

Why should big-nose know Jack and Sam come here often? Why he need to know they always sit at the same table? That sometime they eat quickly and go, and sometime they sit and talk until very late and we clean up for the night? They okay. Eating here make them more so. They very close. Lovers, I am sure. Not at first, but later, yes.

Stupid did not need to know that.

Jack still wear his ring. His heart, I think, not bound by it. Who business is that? Not mine. Not that man.

But he still hold book in front of him, so I tell him I do remember one more thing. He look at me, his round eyes greedy. I tell him Jack sometime come with man in black suit and red tie.

He frown. He did not write that down.

Dirty way to earn living.

Before he go, I tell man one truth. Now, I do not see Jack. I do not know what happen. I wonder about him and woman with man's name, and feel sad.

I think maybe he no longer so happy as when he and the woman eat here.

End
What the Waiter Knew