Miss Patty could see it
Miss Patty was sitting in Luke's. With her she had seven little girls, all dressed in their adorable little tutus, stockings and ballet slippers. She had promised them a trip to Luke's for ice cream and pie if they came to practice and worked hard all week. After all, the semi-annual Stars Hollow "Future Stars" dance recital was coming up.
"Please, darlings, stay seated. Your desserts will be out shortly."
Patty looked behind the counter where Luke was working to prepare seven pint sized pie slices with ice cream on top.
Ah, she thought. No wonder he is taking so long.
Sitting on the other side of the counter was a very bubbly Lorelai, begging to be served coffee before he finished with Patty's larger order.
"Please, Luke. I am running on one cup, and it wasn't even your cup of coffee. I had to have store bought, generic coffee! It was the only thing they had left at Doosie's. Generic, Luke. Do you know what generic coffee can do to a girl? "
"Oh, I dunno, make her ramble on for five minutes to a certain diner owner who is trying to prepare food for seven little jam-handed kids who don't know what 'sit and stay in your chair' means?"
"Just hurry, hurry, hurry. I think I am going to faint of caffeine withdrawal any minute now. The only way to save me will be to stick an IV in my arm and just pump the coffee straight into me. Do you even know how to insert one of those IV things? They are quite tricky. I think you'd be better off just taking a break from pie-prepping and taking the whole five seconds to pour my a cup."
"My God, woman, calm down. I'll be done in a minute. They ordered first, so they'll get their order and then you will get yours. You are worse than those little kids over there."
Miss Patty laughed – out loud. She loved watching those two annoy each other. It was hard to find someone like that who you can drive crazy, but who'll still put up with you the next day. She should know, after all, she had been through five husbands.
Just then, Luke finally brought over their large order. The girls all jumped up and down cheering. One was so excited she jumped up and wrapped her arms around Luke. Well – she was so small she only could reach up to his legs, but nevertheless she hugged away.
"Thank you, mister," she peeped.
Luke, stunned and blushing, just rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, yeah, enjoy your stuff," he said before peeling the little ballerina off his legs and walking back behind the counter. Miss Patty was wholeheartedly amused by the situation. As her little munchkins attacked their pie and ice cream, she entertained herself by watching the conversation at the counter.
"They loooooove you," Lorelai teased.
"Oh, stop. They just love food. Kids would hug a big, scary bear if it brought them pie and ice cream."
"So, now you are admitting you are a big, soft Teddy Bear?"
"Ah Geez. I can't win with you, can I?"
Lorelai threw her arms up in the air. "Finally, you see the light!"
Luke gave a frustrated sigh and poured her the caffeine fix she had begged for.
"Thank you"
"Uh huh," he grunted.
"So, are you gonna go watch your groupies dance tomorrow night?"
"Are you serious?" he responded.
"Aw, come on, you know you would melt watching them in their cute little outfits spinning around and crashing into each other on stage."
"I think I would rather crawl in the oven back there and bake at 350."
"Oh, you are such a grump. Come on, I have to go because I am making the costumes. Rory has a homework thing she refuses to ditch. Damn kids, all stuck on their ideas of the future and college. So, she can't come. Why don't you go so I have someone to bug and mock the obsessive stage parents to?"
"I think that generic coffee went straight to your brain. "
Keep trying, Miss Patty thought as Lorelai continued to plead. But you'll never break his ways. Many have attempted to get Luke to go to these town events. Virtually no one has succeeded.
The next night, Miss Patty was standing center stage as her little dancer's frolicked out on stage to take their final bow. Out from behind the curtain, she could finally catch a good look at the audience turnout. This is when someone surprising caught her eye. Off in the back left corner, she saw Luke, slumped in his chair, with an annoyed expression. Next to him, Lorelai was yacking away in his ear.
Luke was annoyed, yes – but he was there. It was a miracle. Luke, man of few words who normally wouldn't go near kids and recitals without physical intervention, was willingly sitting and watching. And Lorelai was the reason.
Miss Patty could see it.
