CHAPTER 3B - Making Friends
1207 Words
“Black OK?” They nodded again but were studying the menu like a school book, and a test was coming up.
She returned with the coffee, and they both looked at the cup. They had no idea how to drink from it. They were in the lower G area of the station.
The look on their faces made the server chuckle a moment. “Let me guess, you never drank from zero G?”
“No.” They both said in unison.
She instructed them to sip and not let the coffee fly around the room, and they mastered it in just a few seconds.
They both ordered the same thing. Eggs, hash browns with onion, bacon, and ham. They did not say a word. Although Joseph had been to the station several times, this was his first time eating in orbit. They just stared and gawked and looked around and noticed something interesting. They were not the only ones staring, gawking, and looking around. At least one person in each group seemed to be in their position, and acknowledgment of that fact was a silent nod to each other. They were part of a small, unique, quiet club and appreciated the membership.
Their food arrived, and it appeared contained in a small cage on the plate, which had a magnetic base and stuck to the metal counter. The server came over and showed them how to eat without releasing the food to fly around the station. There was a little commotion behind them, and as they turned, they discovered that someone had let a slice of bacon float away. They yelled free to a good home. A dad prompted his son to jump to the ceiling and catch the bacon in his mouth. The kid nearly missed but got it in his teeth with a huge smile. Just as he slammed into the ceiling and bounced back to the ground. He was caught by a man walking in. “THANKS!” The kid said and returned to his family with his prize and the cheers of everyone in the restaurant.
Brigit and Joseph manage to enjoy the food and not let it loose. Joseph looked at the tab, handed the server some currency, and left.
“Excuse me, can I get a couple of ham biscuits to go, please?”
“Let me guess. You met Mik on the shuttle?”
Brigit replied, “How did you know?”
“Well, only three people have ordered a ham biscuit, and two are dirtside now; Mik is the logical choice.”
Brigit smiled, “I owe him. I think I broke his hand when we launched, death grip and all.”
She laughed and grabbed a bag that appeared in the window. “Tell Mik and Monica hello; there’s something there for her also.” She winked. “No charge. I like Mik.”
Joseph dropped some currency on the counter and winked back at her. She smiled at him and picked it up.
It was time, so they headed for the metalwork shop.
Walking through the corridors, they saw things they would never have dreamed of, like an excursion to Mars. Brigit noted the trip’s cost in case she could manage the extra week a few months from now. Flights depart from the station every Sunday afternoon; the price is all-inclusive. She had no idea what that meant, but it sounded good.
They found the metalwork store and walked in a short time later.
Walking through the door, Mik saw them as they entered.
“Brigit, Joseph! Welcome.” He said, looking at the cashier. Then he noticed the bag. “You remembered!”
“I take it you know them?” She said.
“I do. Brigit and I were practically engaged on the shuttle a few hours ago.” She gave him a strange look, but the look was most likely not the first time he had seen it.
“Don’t worry, honey, he’s always like this.” She said.
He pulled three wrapped items from the bag. “I know what the blue ones are, but what’s in the pink ones?”
“The server said that is for Monica.”
Monica grabbed the pink one, opened it, and squeaked slightly. “Perfect. I find veggies, cheese, and a meat substitute tastes pretty good.”
“Vegetarian?” Brigit asked.
“Yep. Since I was 14. Drove him, the original carnivore, absolutely nuts when his son and I started dating.”
“Well, friends, after we talked on the shuttle, I decided to clear out my backstock and have a fire sale.” He patted a few boxes about a foot square each. “Each weighs in at 82 pounds Earthside. Here, well, Brigit could carry them all at once. As I said, a fire sale. You sound like you have someone on the farm who knows what they are doing, so some are good, some aren’t.”
The woman at the register said, “This is when you give him a low price for it all. He looks offended and increases the price. You go back and forth and finally settle on $28 a box.”
She grinned at him, and he said, “Let me introduce you to my former daughter-in-law.” He rubbed his chin, “Damn you, Monica, you know things, too many things.” He looked at Joseph, “Well, $28 is lower than I wanted, but not by much.”
“$28 is more than I wanted, but not much.” Joseph smiled, “I need a couple tools also. Loop knife, hoof nipper, rasp; few of each.”
“OK, toss in another $28, and you got a deal.”
Brigit asked, “How many boxes are there, four?”
“No, dear,” Monica replied, “There are seven plus the box of tools.”
“So, $225. Good number!” She looked at Joseph, “I do have a question. How will we move 600 pounds of metal from the port to the farm?”
“Where do you need them delivered, and by when?” Monica asked.
“We are staying with friends at Hill’s Farm.”
“Jon and Gayle! Why didn’t you say so? I’ll have it delivered tomorrow night, personally. If Gayle invites me for dinner and makes that chicken pot pie….”
Brigit laughed, “Call her, let’s ask,” Brigit said.
Monica punched up the call, and Gayle appeared on the screen. “Mik, where have you been hiding?” He turned the screen a little to show Brigit and Joseph.
“I took over from Willie when he retired. Got a couple of strays up here in orbit who want a bunch of metal.”
Brigit added, “He is willing to personally make a delivery tomorrow if invited for a chicken pot pie dinner.”
Mik lowered his head as if scolded. “Of course, I’ll feed you,” Gayle said, “you old goat. Dinner is at 7 p.m., can you make that?”
“I may need to bring Monica; she follows me everywhere. It’s getting kinda annoying.” She shook her head.
- Writer
