At 2:00, thirty minutes before closing and about thirty seconds before I should have gotten off, we got another one.
There was no question who this one was.
"Welcome to Lai Lai," I said to Two-Face. Now that's a guy you don't piss off no matter how bad your day has been.
I had never seen him before, but…everyone knows about Two-Face. He's one of those instantly recognizable Gotham thangs, like the Batsignal.
It had never occurred to me that the right side of his face would be so beautiful. Before the accident, he must have been ungodly handsome, the kind of guy who made you stop and stare when you passed him on the street, the kind of guy all the girls were in love with. It made the scars all the more tragic.
I wanted to give him a hug.
"What are you staring at?" he growled at me.
"Just waiting to take your order," I said, smiling at him for real. "I recommend the Two Entrée Special. It comes with Sweet and Sour Chicken and another entrée of your choice, with rice and a drink." He looked interested. Thank God. "If you like soup, we have Hot and Sour. It's my favorite."
"Sounds good," he said, and I grinned. I love it when they make it easy on me.
"What would you like for your second entrée?"
"What do you like?"
"Mongolian Beef. Or General Tsao's Chicken." Oops. I could have slapped myself. I knew better than to offer him two choices.
He took out that famous scarred silver dollar and flipped it. Holy cow. That was the first time it really hit me how momentous all this was. I mean, most people in Gotham live their whole lives without ever seeing any of these people, but I…I had just made Two-Face flip a coin, and I was going to live to tell the tale.
"Mongolian Beef," he decided.
I had to ask him another question. I almost couldn't do it.
"Steamed or fried rice?"
The coin landed scarred side up.
"Fried rice."
"And what would you like to drink?" I almost couldn't ask it without laughing.
"Iced tea and a water."
"Is it…" I tried really hard not to giggle. "For here or to go?"
Flip.
"To go."
I held my breath hard while I rang him up. He paid with three $2 bills. I gave him two pennies as change. He tipped me with two silver dollars.
I didn't quite make it home that afternoon before the giggles hit me. I walked up the stairs to my dorm room, laughing hysterically. I laughed until I cried. And then I cried until I started laughing again.
I decided it was time to find a new job.