“Good,” Samir says. “How ‘bout you?”
Kerry shrugs. “Just shakin’ my little tip jar, you know how it is.”
Samir nods. It’s not much as lines go, but he doesn’t want Kerry to flit away. “Do you have to work on Christmas?”
Kerry shrugs again. “Not ‘til afternoon. It’s not a big deal. I’ll have two tables, we usually close early. I don’t got nothin’ else goin’ on. My family’s back in Missouri, I’d way rather come here than go there.”
“Yeah. My family’s in Chicago.”
Kerry’s eyes light up. “Ooh. Now there, I’d go. You goin’ back?”
“Not this year,” Samir says, now grateful.
“So, what’re you gonna do?”
Samir’s turn to shrug. He starts to say I’m not a big Christmas guy, but changes tack. It’s the closest thing to an invitation he’s liable to get, so he lobs an RSVP. “Do people go on dates
