Page 227 of Falling Backwards
I fight not to let my stiffness show.“Yes, sir?What can I help you with?”
“Can you go find our server?”He picks up the short glass in front of him and shakes it at me, rattling the ice cubes.“I need another drink.”
His girlfriend cuts in lightly with, “Oh, I don’t know, honey.You’ve already had three, right?”
I notice a few things at once now that I’m not at a distance: the way he looks and sounds gives away that hehasmanaged to have a few drinks while he’s been here, and his girlfriend is eyeing his empty glass with hesitation, and it’s evident that he hasn’t eaten any of their crab cake appetizer like she has.
So he’s been drinking far more than he’s been eating.Great.
Part of me wants to mention Lucent’s alcoholic beverage limit policy, but I know it’s the server’s place to go there, not mine.Juanita will know exactly how many drinks Marcus has had anyway.I’ll say something to her about it when I find her; I believe I have a responsibility to do that.
“I’ll go get Juanita,” I say.“One minute.”
“What’s all that looking for?”Marcus asks sharply as I’m just starting to move, causing me to pause.“Is that a little bit of judgment I see, miss?”
His girlfriend murmurs, “Marcus, no,” and sends me an apologetic smile.
He shrugs.“‘Marcus, no,’what?She looks judgmental to me.”
“Why don’t you eat a crab cake while she’s gone?If you leave it too long, it’ll start….”
As I finally, wordlessly get away from their table, I feel a twinge of unease—and I feel bad for the girl.I only saw Marcus get truly drunk a few times in the months we were together, but I remember they weren’t fun.When he’s drunk, his lips get loose and he says things he shouldn’t say.I once witnessed him tell a secret about a friend of his and it got them in trouble, and another time he lied about a coworker because he was mad at them and it later made them look bad to their boss.
I hope he won’t ruin his girlfriend’s night with the way he gets.
Halfway to the kitchen, I find Juanita, so I tell her she’s needed at Marcus’s table.
“And hey,” I add as we go in that direction together, “do you know how many drinks he’s had so far?”
We talk about it until we have to part ways.As I return to my table so I can get back to work, I feel better about the situation; Juanita assured me he isn’t allowed any more drinks.I’m glad she didn’t brush me off like Ronald probably would have.
I shake my head at remembering how inebriated he allowed those wedding engagement parties to get a month or so ago.So dangerous.
My knee thanks me when I get seated again.I attempt to soothe it with a brief rest of my hands around it, being extra careful not to touch any of the places that actually hurt.At the mere memory of that one lady hitting my knee with her purse, I cringe—God, I could cry all over again from—
A rising voice from across the way draws my attention.I look and see Marcus with defiant eyes, his girlfriend with a hand rubbing over hers, and Juanita walking away.
Briefly, I wonder what that’s about.Then I set my hands to the silverware in front of me.
I’m a few minutes into my inspection when movement nearby has me glancing up and finding Juanita nearly upon me.She looks annoyed.I tilt my head in a curious greeting.
Her hands land on a bit of free space on my tablecloth, and she leans over to me.I lean in, too, and catch her low voice: “Just thought you’d like to know I cut that guy off from his fourth drink and he told me to go get my manager.Since Mr.Polk isn’t here, I had Ronald come over to talk to him, and look how that’s going.”
With a roll of her eyes, she turns and leaves, and I’m able to see Ronald and Marcus smiling and shaking hands.In fact, I’m looking at just the right time to watch Ronald point at the empty glass Marcus was shaking at me earlier and, winking, very clearly ask if that’s what Marcus wants another of.
My mouth falls open.
Next, Ronald walks over to Juanita and says something.She crosses her arms and looks like she’s protesting.He puts on an expression I know well: the,‘Do as I say and do it now, or else,’expression.Juanita seems to hold her ground, and a moment later, Ronald turns and goes to the bar proper, speaks to Tia, and motions to Marcus’s table—then smiles at the guy and gives him a thumbs-up.
…Am I understanding all this right?Is he rescinding the cutoff?
I try not to keep staring.Really, I do.But my eyes never quite make it back to my task before they’re up again, watching Juanita tend to another table while trying to rein in her displeasure, watching the straight-backed girlfriend stand from the table and go in the direction of the restrooms, watching Marcus drink the watered-down remnants of his beverage.
Which means I also notice when he turns his attention right to me.
At last, I snap my eyes down to the silverware.I pick up a fork and scrutinize it, spy a dirty spot, and set it aside to be taken back to the kitchen.
Please just ignore me,I silently beseech Marcus.Please finally get bored of me and just—
