Agents of Literary Change
"Zoned" Chpt. 1 Part 3
Nicole snapped out of her flashback from the vibration of her cell inside her coat pocket. She stuffed the card in her bag and quickly pulled off her gloves before reaching for the phone. She looked at the caller ID before rolling her eyes. "I should have left him than." she mumbled pushing the Speak button. "Yes Quasin?" she huffed at her past mistakes still holding onto her. "What's wrong with you." he asked feeling Nicole's irritation. "The dumb bus was late again." she replied loud enough for the driver to hear her. Nicole gazed out the huge Plexiglas window as Quasin rambled off a laundry list of things he needed her to do before she came home. Needless to say, she sighed as he filled up her day so that her could lounge around the warm cramped one bedroom apartment still unemployed from the last job he got fired from three months ago. Nicole thought back trying to remember the last job he held down for more than three months but all she could remember was the trail of stifled unemployment checks he blew when she was at work. "Quasin why can't you get the dry cleaners? You know there's a blizzard coming and you're home with the car while I'm at work." she huffed looking up at the clouds threw the transparent glass feeling the pain in her chest she been ignoring for weeks return. "You trying play me, now? So, what I got laid off . Like I told you before I ain't have shit to do with that register coming up short. It was probably that crooked ass manger who took that money." he yelled into the receiver full of rage. "Quasin, I know you didn't have nothing to do with that. I'm not trying to play you, baby. Why you gotta take it there? I'm just saying you're home, you have the car, it's suppose to snow and you know Keith ain't gonna send us home early. Baby, I just need your help today. That's all I'm asking for." she quietly exhaled feeling a guilt trip coming on. "Help?! Help, Nicole!? I've been carrying your ass since high school. What do you mean help? I gave up everything to be with you. My future in the NBA, the money, my baby momma.... everything! And for what?! You? That's a joke. All I asked you to do was pick up the fucking dry cleaning and you act like I asked you for a kidney! I should've left your tired ass alone years ago. Ungrateful tired ass woman...." he continued to chastise her.
Nicole put the phone down and then counted to ten before putting it back to her ear. "Quasin, you know it's not like that. You didn't go away to school because you wanted to keep an eye on me. What you thought I would smarten up while you were gone? Remember, I told you to go and as far as your trifling baby momma, Sashay. You want her? Go get her, Quasin! I'm tired of these same lame arguments with you, baby. I'm tired." she barely squeezed out gripping the phone as her chest tightened more. "See Nicole, it's your fuckin mouth. But, I'm fix that! You wanna mouth off like you big time,now? Imma get that under control." he promised trying to calm his fiery. Nicole lightly traced the bruise above her eye filling fear embrace her on top of the pulling of her chest muscles. "Why you got to take it there?" she asked trying not to sound panicky. "That's how you like it. I see now. I called you all nice and shit this morning and you came at me like you forgot who I was. But, I am going to fix that one way or another." he said sucking his teeth. "Whatever, Quasin!" she said squirming in her seat. "I told you what I need done so, do it and come straight home! I'm not finished with this conversation yet." he hollered before hanging up on her. Nicole looked at the cell phone as the busy signal sounded off. She mashed the end button than tossed it in the bag.
Nicole slouched down in the cushions wishing she could just disappear. She stared aimlessly out the fogging rectangle window as the bus rolled threw unaccessible roadways. A few more patrons worn out by the season ventured on and off the steady carousal. Nicole silently ran down her own to do list adjusting and rearranging her needs to add Quasin's chores. She felt chills as cold air bombarded the passenger's when the double doors opened and closed. Nicole began to dread her stop approaching fast. She pulled out a water bottle and a case of pills as the bus neared her stop. Nicole quickly popped a little blue pill in her mouth and chucked it down with one big gulp. "Umm...." she sucked in trying to massage the spasms grasping her breathe. She pulled her gloves back on as she repeatedly prayed, "Not today...not today!"fixing her outer garments. She reached over pushing the yellow strip to signal to the rude bus driver that her stop was approaching swinging the book bag over her shoulder.
The bus came to a screeching halt then she slowly stepped off the bus taken by the freezing weather. "I should've stayed in bed!" she moaned as the wind picked up rustling threw the microscopic fiber spaces in her coat. Her teeth chattered as she struggled to push past the homeless people who resembled forgotten snowmen huddled around burning trash bins. The smells coming from the smoke fused into the air nauseating the few bystanders waiting for their buses. She hurried across the street beginning her three block stretch. She walked like a well oiled machine. One foot in front of the other with her head down and hands in her pockets. The day had just began and she was already stressed. Nicole thought back on the ivory Coupe with the yellow seats and the exotic driver. There was something about the woman that made Nicole perplexed. She pushed the aching of her heart out of her mind when she thought of Quasin. "He loves me. I know her does." she thought as she walked down her final block to the restaurant.
By the time she reached her destination, her cheeks were purple and she had a minor case of frost bite on her fingers, toes and nose. Shivering to the bone she pulled open the thick doors and slipped inside. The floor to ceiling exposed brick along with the chrome light fixtures gave the place a modern feel. Over scaled paintings by local artists in earth tones graced the butter pecan walls in the main eating area. Nicole looked around the empty restaurant as she walked to the back of the building thru the rubber doors that separated the cooking area from the dining area. "Hey, Charlie." she spoke unbuttoning her coat. "Where's Keith?" she whispered surveying the kitchen as she set her stuff down on a preparation table. "He's in the office." Charlie the middle aged chef said putting a huge pot on the stove. "It's going to be a long day." she moaned punching the time clock still chilled to the bone. "Not for me! Take out orders have been coming in since we opened. Nobody wants to cook today. So, I've got a lot of orders to fill. Lawrence has been out on delivers all day." Charlie replied stirring contents inside the pot conjoining ingredients from past down recipes. "Let me know if you need any help." she offered peeking out the small circle window into the dining hall fixing her crisp white uniform. "Nicole, your late again!" Keith fired staring straight at her. "The bus was late again, Keith." she said not turning to face him. "Excuses, excuses... didn't you just buy a new car last year? Why you still riding the bus?" he taunted her. "Why?" she questioned trying to keep her temper at bay. Keith shook his head at her as she turned around. "You, young girls..." he started when she cut him off. "Lay off it Keith. I'm here in a freaking blizzard. You know that ain't no other waitresses gonna be out here in weather like this. I come to work everyday no matter what so, please stop trying to ride me over one day. I do my job and the customers love me so, Keith lay off it!" she said staring him in the eyes. Keith could feel his cheeks turn pink as he contemplated firing her right there on the spot. But, he knew she was right nobody besides her would be there in that type of weather and the customers did love her service. "Don't make this a habit and head to your post..." he said adjusting his silk plaid neck tie around his sky blue collar before he headed back to the office.
"Head to your post?" she looked over at Charlie and they both burst out into laughter. "What the hell? Charlie, where's my post?" she said laughing harder. "I guess out in the dining room?" he said more confused than Nicole. "I guess so." she said inhaling the spicy aroma of the seafood brewing. "Can you save me some stew, Charlie. I left my lunch on the table the morning! That's why I hate rushing out for the bus." she said pushing threw the rubber doors. "Okay, I'll set some to the side." she heard the raspy voice reply behind her. Nicole picked a table far enough from the entrance door that potential customers wouldn't see her siting around but close enough to see them enter the restaurant. She grabbed the remote from under the hosts station before sitting down on the brass and burgundy chair flicking on the wide screen television to the ESPN channel. Nicole picked at the white strip from her homemade French manicure half interested in the flashing news briefs on the television. The blizzard was moving in fast over the city sprinkling lite crystals spiraling from the sky.
Hours dragged on aimlessly bringing in a few patrons staggering in from the shiny white iridescent sidewalk. She quickly stood up, relieved the dining hall was no longer empty. She chit chatted with the customers about the dreadful weather as she politely escorted them to their tables. Gladly prolonging their restaurant experiences, the guests ordered slow and ate even slower cheerfully taking a moment away from the morale testing season. Nicole gave each customer extra attention try to ease threw her shift gracefully serving them their meals. Charlie kept the restaurant's signature soup, callaloo stew and corn muffins made with real corn, hot and pots full of simmering concoctions as outside orders continued to pour in. Lawrence braved the cold with stacked Styrofoam containers and plastic utensils rolled in embroidered paper napkins for his government enforced minim wages. Nicole kept watch of the time as faint mumbles of gibberish echoed in the warm haven. She leaned onto the vacate bar weary, she wondered if the stores on Main Street was starting to close early due to the weather. She wanted to pull out her cell and call Mims's Dry Cleaners but, she knew that Keith was watching her on the surveillance cameras. Nicole knew that he was waiting to catch her slipping so, that he could justifiable fire her and not have to deal with his father, Mr. Brown, the real owner of the restaurant. Besides, two people on unemployment was not an option for her current household living arrangements. Quasin would really flip out if she came home unemployed, even though, it was okay for him to collect checks month after month. They were barely making it on her income and no guarantee of consistent payments would definitely bring more stress driven bang ups for her. The pain crept back as she leaned on the bar zoning out. "Excuse me?", a diner called. "Yes? Be right there." she acknowledged the caller as she quickly hustled over to to the table.
"Can I have another cup of stew to go?" the elderly woman requested. "Not a problem." Nicole replied giving the woman a genuine smile. She strutted back into the kitchen wondering why the woman at her age was out in a blizzard alone. She handed Charlie the order who was focused on preparing the pile of orders he already had in front of him.
"Give me a minute." he said swooshing fried chicken in a pan of popping grease. "No problem...." Nicole said moving away form the stove. Nicole leisurely walked back to the front nodding as she past the filled tables heading straight to the front doors. She peered out the glass exhaling at the accumulating inches. The skies darkened signaling the street lights to come on at four in the afternoon. "Shit!" she thought as she watched the people outside cowering like rusting robots. She noticed her breathe fogged a small section of the glass as she looked out at the developing blizzard.
Nicole heard the bell from the kitchen she knew signaled the woman's order was ready. She headed back thru the tables stopping when she came to the elder. "Can I take this?" she asked pointing to the empty bowl in front of her. "Yes." the woman replied sliding the empty dishes towards Nicole. Nicole carefully stacked the dished one on top of the other. "Here's your bill." she said pulling out her tablet. "I hope everything was good and hot. Especially with such nasty weather out today." she said tearing the woman tab out the book and placing it face down on the table. "Yes, everything was good." the woman said staring up at Nicole. "I'll be out with your container of soup. It's already been added to the bill." she said picking the dishes up of the table. "No rush!" the woman said sounding more like pleading than making a statement.
Nicole looked over her shoulder at the woman as she cautiously balanced the dishes in her hands. The bell sounded once more as she pushed threw the dividers. "I hear you!" she said looking over to Charlie. "Not me." he said as he stirred nodding in the direction of Keith. Nicole rolled her eyes as she places the dishes in the sink. "Yes, Keith?" she stated keeping her back turned towards him. "The container has been siting here for the past five minutes." he said lifting the Styrofoam for emphasis. "I was giving the customer her bill. Besides, the bell just rung." she replied picking up the container and a plastic bag from out of the rack. Keith held an expression of disgust as he watched her head back to the front. Charlie chuckled feeling Kieth's unease as he marched back up the stairs to the office. "Oh! Charlie. It's predicted that the snow will be at least nine inches and I won't get snowed into this rat trap so, as soon as, the dining hall clears and the orders we already have are filled we're closing. Deliver the message to everyone else." he said as he trotted up the stairs.
Lawrence entered thru the employee entrance not to long after Kieth went upstairs shivering from the cold. He sat down long enough for Charlie to pour him some coffee. "It's almost over! Kieth says we're closing early today... just finish up these orders and we all can go home!" he said patting Lawrence on the shoulder of his puffy coat. "Si, senor! Dis be the... how you say? Coldest day me see in my seven year in this country." he said pulling his gloves off blowing cold air in them.
Nicole put the phone down and then counted to ten before putting it back to her ear. "Quasin, you know it's not like that. You didn't go away to school because you wanted to keep an eye on me. What you thought I would smarten up while you were gone? Remember, I told you to go and as far as your trifling baby momma, Sashay. You want her? Go get her, Quasin! I'm tired of these same lame arguments with you, baby. I'm tired." she barely squeezed out gripping the phone as her chest tightened more. "See Nicole, it's your fuckin mouth. But, I'm fix that! You wanna mouth off like you big time,now? Imma get that under control." he promised trying to calm his fiery. Nicole lightly traced the bruise above her eye filling fear embrace her on top of the pulling of her chest muscles. "Why you got to take it there?" she asked trying not to sound panicky. "That's how you like it. I see now. I called you all nice and shit this morning and you came at me like you forgot who I was. But, I am going to fix that one way or another." he said sucking his teeth. "Whatever, Quasin!" she said squirming in her seat. "I told you what I need done so, do it and come straight home! I'm not finished with this conversation yet." he hollered before hanging up on her. Nicole looked at the cell phone as the busy signal sounded off. She mashed the end button than tossed it in the bag.
Nicole slouched down in the cushions wishing she could just disappear. She stared aimlessly out the fogging rectangle window as the bus rolled threw unaccessible roadways. A few more patrons worn out by the season ventured on and off the steady carousal. Nicole silently ran down her own to do list adjusting and rearranging her needs to add Quasin's chores. She felt chills as cold air bombarded the passenger's when the double doors opened and closed. Nicole began to dread her stop approaching fast. She pulled out a water bottle and a case of pills as the bus neared her stop. Nicole quickly popped a little blue pill in her mouth and chucked it down with one big gulp. "Umm...." she sucked in trying to massage the spasms grasping her breathe. She pulled her gloves back on as she repeatedly prayed, "Not today...not today!"fixing her outer garments. She reached over pushing the yellow strip to signal to the rude bus driver that her stop was approaching swinging the book bag over her shoulder.
The bus came to a screeching halt then she slowly stepped off the bus taken by the freezing weather. "I should've stayed in bed!" she moaned as the wind picked up rustling threw the microscopic fiber spaces in her coat. Her teeth chattered as she struggled to push past the homeless people who resembled forgotten snowmen huddled around burning trash bins. The smells coming from the smoke fused into the air nauseating the few bystanders waiting for their buses. She hurried across the street beginning her three block stretch. She walked like a well oiled machine. One foot in front of the other with her head down and hands in her pockets. The day had just began and she was already stressed. Nicole thought back on the ivory Coupe with the yellow seats and the exotic driver. There was something about the woman that made Nicole perplexed. She pushed the aching of her heart out of her mind when she thought of Quasin. "He loves me. I know her does." she thought as she walked down her final block to the restaurant.
By the time she reached her destination, her cheeks were purple and she had a minor case of frost bite on her fingers, toes and nose. Shivering to the bone she pulled open the thick doors and slipped inside. The floor to ceiling exposed brick along with the chrome light fixtures gave the place a modern feel. Over scaled paintings by local artists in earth tones graced the butter pecan walls in the main eating area. Nicole looked around the empty restaurant as she walked to the back of the building thru the rubber doors that separated the cooking area from the dining area. "Hey, Charlie." she spoke unbuttoning her coat. "Where's Keith?" she whispered surveying the kitchen as she set her stuff down on a preparation table. "He's in the office." Charlie the middle aged chef said putting a huge pot on the stove. "It's going to be a long day." she moaned punching the time clock still chilled to the bone. "Not for me! Take out orders have been coming in since we opened. Nobody wants to cook today. So, I've got a lot of orders to fill. Lawrence has been out on delivers all day." Charlie replied stirring contents inside the pot conjoining ingredients from past down recipes. "Let me know if you need any help." she offered peeking out the small circle window into the dining hall fixing her crisp white uniform. "Nicole, your late again!" Keith fired staring straight at her. "The bus was late again, Keith." she said not turning to face him. "Excuses, excuses... didn't you just buy a new car last year? Why you still riding the bus?" he taunted her. "Why?" she questioned trying to keep her temper at bay. Keith shook his head at her as she turned around. "You, young girls..." he started when she cut him off. "Lay off it Keith. I'm here in a freaking blizzard. You know that ain't no other waitresses gonna be out here in weather like this. I come to work everyday no matter what so, please stop trying to ride me over one day. I do my job and the customers love me so, Keith lay off it!" she said staring him in the eyes. Keith could feel his cheeks turn pink as he contemplated firing her right there on the spot. But, he knew she was right nobody besides her would be there in that type of weather and the customers did love her service. "Don't make this a habit and head to your post..." he said adjusting his silk plaid neck tie around his sky blue collar before he headed back to the office.
"Head to your post?" she looked over at Charlie and they both burst out into laughter. "What the hell? Charlie, where's my post?" she said laughing harder. "I guess out in the dining room?" he said more confused than Nicole. "I guess so." she said inhaling the spicy aroma of the seafood brewing. "Can you save me some stew, Charlie. I left my lunch on the table the morning! That's why I hate rushing out for the bus." she said pushing threw the rubber doors. "Okay, I'll set some to the side." she heard the raspy voice reply behind her. Nicole picked a table far enough from the entrance door that potential customers wouldn't see her siting around but close enough to see them enter the restaurant. She grabbed the remote from under the hosts station before sitting down on the brass and burgundy chair flicking on the wide screen television to the ESPN channel. Nicole picked at the white strip from her homemade French manicure half interested in the flashing news briefs on the television. The blizzard was moving in fast over the city sprinkling lite crystals spiraling from the sky.
Hours dragged on aimlessly bringing in a few patrons staggering in from the shiny white iridescent sidewalk. She quickly stood up, relieved the dining hall was no longer empty. She chit chatted with the customers about the dreadful weather as she politely escorted them to their tables. Gladly prolonging their restaurant experiences, the guests ordered slow and ate even slower cheerfully taking a moment away from the morale testing season. Nicole gave each customer extra attention try to ease threw her shift gracefully serving them their meals. Charlie kept the restaurant's signature soup, callaloo stew and corn muffins made with real corn, hot and pots full of simmering concoctions as outside orders continued to pour in. Lawrence braved the cold with stacked Styrofoam containers and plastic utensils rolled in embroidered paper napkins for his government enforced minim wages. Nicole kept watch of the time as faint mumbles of gibberish echoed in the warm haven. She leaned onto the vacate bar weary, she wondered if the stores on Main Street was starting to close early due to the weather. She wanted to pull out her cell and call Mims's Dry Cleaners but, she knew that Keith was watching her on the surveillance cameras. Nicole knew that he was waiting to catch her slipping so, that he could justifiable fire her and not have to deal with his father, Mr. Brown, the real owner of the restaurant. Besides, two people on unemployment was not an option for her current household living arrangements. Quasin would really flip out if she came home unemployed, even though, it was okay for him to collect checks month after month. They were barely making it on her income and no guarantee of consistent payments would definitely bring more stress driven bang ups for her. The pain crept back as she leaned on the bar zoning out. "Excuse me?", a diner called. "Yes? Be right there." she acknowledged the caller as she quickly hustled over to to the table.
"Can I have another cup of stew to go?" the elderly woman requested. "Not a problem." Nicole replied giving the woman a genuine smile. She strutted back into the kitchen wondering why the woman at her age was out in a blizzard alone. She handed Charlie the order who was focused on preparing the pile of orders he already had in front of him.
"Give me a minute." he said swooshing fried chicken in a pan of popping grease. "No problem...." Nicole said moving away form the stove. Nicole leisurely walked back to the front nodding as she past the filled tables heading straight to the front doors. She peered out the glass exhaling at the accumulating inches. The skies darkened signaling the street lights to come on at four in the afternoon. "Shit!" she thought as she watched the people outside cowering like rusting robots. She noticed her breathe fogged a small section of the glass as she looked out at the developing blizzard.
Nicole heard the bell from the kitchen she knew signaled the woman's order was ready. She headed back thru the tables stopping when she came to the elder. "Can I take this?" she asked pointing to the empty bowl in front of her. "Yes." the woman replied sliding the empty dishes towards Nicole. Nicole carefully stacked the dished one on top of the other. "Here's your bill." she said pulling out her tablet. "I hope everything was good and hot. Especially with such nasty weather out today." she said tearing the woman tab out the book and placing it face down on the table. "Yes, everything was good." the woman said staring up at Nicole. "I'll be out with your container of soup. It's already been added to the bill." she said picking the dishes up of the table. "No rush!" the woman said sounding more like pleading than making a statement.
Nicole looked over her shoulder at the woman as she cautiously balanced the dishes in her hands. The bell sounded once more as she pushed threw the dividers. "I hear you!" she said looking over to Charlie. "Not me." he said as he stirred nodding in the direction of Keith. Nicole rolled her eyes as she places the dishes in the sink. "Yes, Keith?" she stated keeping her back turned towards him. "The container has been siting here for the past five minutes." he said lifting the Styrofoam for emphasis. "I was giving the customer her bill. Besides, the bell just rung." she replied picking up the container and a plastic bag from out of the rack. Keith held an expression of disgust as he watched her head back to the front. Charlie chuckled feeling Kieth's unease as he marched back up the stairs to the office. "Oh! Charlie. It's predicted that the snow will be at least nine inches and I won't get snowed into this rat trap so, as soon as, the dining hall clears and the orders we already have are filled we're closing. Deliver the message to everyone else." he said as he trotted up the stairs.
Lawrence entered thru the employee entrance not to long after Kieth went upstairs shivering from the cold. He sat down long enough for Charlie to pour him some coffee. "It's almost over! Kieth says we're closing early today... just finish up these orders and we all can go home!" he said patting Lawrence on the shoulder of his puffy coat. "Si, senor! Dis be the... how you say? Coldest day me see in my seven year in this country." he said pulling his gloves off blowing cold air in them.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by 904Diva on -
Your writing is very descriptive, which is nice. I can even feel the cold just reading it. However, I do have a question and a couple of misspells. For instance, she thought back on the "ivory coupe". What does that mean? Maybe since this is chapter 3, it was mentioned earlier. Couple of mispelled words... I should have left him "than" instead of "then", and government enforced "minimum" instead of minimum wages.
Also, not sure why she's so scared with her boyfriend, husband? but challenges her boss. And why does he want to get rid of her?
Hope this helps.
-
Permalink Reply by Cee Brooks on -
Thankx for the comment. Yes my spelling is horrible...lol. But, you have to remeber this is Chapter 1: Part 3... there are two parts ( part 1 and part 2) you haven't read yet...lol. That's why some of your questions aren't answer. There posted too. But again, thankx for the taking the time to read it.
About
SPAM IS SO NOT COOL!
Please do not greet everyone on the site with large images and announcements of your book or business. Yes, you want to tell the world, but learn the fine art of subtlety. A simple welcome and signature/link is fine. Let them ask you for more.
We have lost numerous members because of the amount of 'friend' mail they instantly receive. This Hurts Everyone.
Spam is unsolicited advertising, whether it is posted as comments on other members' pages or is emailed for marketing purposes.
Please be considerate. Post your advertisement in the proper Articles/Forum or Group. There are free classifieds on the Pages tab. You can post your information on your profile and even update your blog as often as you like.
We are not into censorship, so please don't make us ask you to leave. Be kind and unselfish - don't spam.
SPAMMING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED
We have lost numerous members because of the amount of 'friend' mail they instantly receive. This Hurts Everyone.
Spam is unsolicited advertising, whether it is posted as comments on other members' pages or is emailed for marketing purposes.
Please be considerate. Post your advertisement in the proper Articles/Forum or Group. There are free classifieds on the Pages tab. You can post your information on your profile and even update your blog as often as you like.
We are not into censorship, so please don't make us ask you to leave. Be kind and unselfish - don't spam.
SPAMMING IS STRICTLY PROHIBITED
Get It, Mail It, Share It! Fresh BAS - Share the Literary Love
Click Here to DONATE TODAY!
Let the Black Author Showcase come to you: Subscribe to the Articles Newsletter
Share This On Your Website
Badge
Latest Activity
Potomac Adventis book Signing at Potomac Adventis Health & Food Store
January 10, 2010 from 2pm to 4pm
If you live in MD, DC or VA, come out to my awesome book signing event.
Yep, the power of "facts" on the internet. Ain't it grand? People take forwards as gospel. Do you all also believe that Barack Obama shouldn't be president because he's not an American citizen? It' says he's not on the internet!
I kinda wanted this…
MyHotComments
You know what is sad in all this, the sentiment on this board is not about wanting to see justice, because frankly those on this board have shown they could care less about facts (not a single person here has seen the court documents of the case oth…
Because Sophia has made false claims! She said she won the case and that turned out to be a flat out lie! Why on earth would be you surprised she is now being scrutinized after misleading many?
© 2009 Created by Diane on Ning. Create a Ning Network!
