Last Chance Café - [CD2021]

I almost started out by writing yet another lie. It would have been "I don't know why I ..." The truth is that I do know why I frequent the Last Chance Cafe, which sits on the very outskirts of town, with nothing beyond it but desert.

It reminds me of that family road trip back in 1970, the full length of Route 66. Of course much of it was called I-40 by then. Those billboard signs "Last Chance" and "Next Gas 285 miles".

Just now as I sit here typing, it strikes me as rather strange that the same year in which my mother died in a car accident, we up and decide that a cross country road trip is just the thing. What is that? Is that some way of "getting back on the horse that threw you" or spitting in the eye of fate?

It is the one and only time that I've seen a car gassed up using one of those hand pumps. I'll put a picture that I stole off the internet at the end of this so you know what I'm talking about.

I'm supposed to be writing about delirium, but the truth is, I've already written just about as much as I would like on that subject, cloaked as fiction stories, dreams, and other assorted literary vehicles. I was most of the way through writing the first draft of The Three Locked Doors when I decided that I really didn't feel enthused about making public what I faced behind locked door number two.

Oh wait, here comes Sally, the owner/waitress to kick me out again.

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"Before you leave, you owe me for four coffees."

I protest, "Not only did I not drink four coffees, you never even brought me the first cup."

"Yes. It's right here on my pad:
Coffee
Coffee
Coffee
Coffee
That's four coffees."

"Look at the table!" I exclaim, "Do you see any empty coffee cups, spilled coffee, or any evidence that coffee has been served here in the last hour?"

Sally then calmly says, "I cleared it away already." and points to the cloth draped over her apron string.

"But" I observe "That cloth has no stains on it."

She replies, "I got a fresh one."

All I'm left to say is "I'm not going to pay for coffee I never got."

That's when she pulled out the tape recorder from her apron pocket and hit play:

"In order to show reduced sense of awareness, two points of view must be present; viewer and afflicted. It looks like this:

Jim was sitting at the table telling his story and drinking the red tea. Melinda got up several times to refill Jim's cup. Finally the pot was empty so she filled the cup with water.
------
Jim was telling Melinda about what had led up to those two lost days. Melinda sat intently listening to the whole story. When Jim had finished, he finally reached over to take his first sip of the red tea. 'What happened? It's a miracle! I've turned tea into water!'"

"I recorded this when you were talking to yourself. Is this your voice or not?"

"That wasn't today. That was just me rehearsing something I was getting ready to write."

-------------- End Transcript ----

Anyway: That last bit of dialogue was transcribed outside of the Last Chance Cafe. Sally has her tape recorder, but my laptop has a record function too. So it's all on record.

I'm telling you all right now: This was the last chance for the Last Chance. I'm not coming back here. And no, I didn't give Sally a tip when I paid.

Here's that picture that I promised:


The End

a reply to: pthena

These stories are poppin out left and right and I’m loving it

This was neat.. like oddly neat. I liked it

a reply to: pthena

You wrote an amazing, quirky story that would be turned into a Outer Limits if it were still being made. That was wonderous. I really enjoyed the twists and turns. Your mind is a great creative process. I desperately hope you are writing a book as I am afraid that your creativity is otherwise going to waste.

a reply to: CrazyBlueCat
a reply to: argentus

Thank you
and
Thank you

I did the book thing once before. It wasn't pretty. It looked like:


Not that bad, more like:
"Hey friend, remember that book you told me I should write? Well here it is, ten bucks."

"Well since we're friends, you should give it to me for free."

"No. Since we're friends, you should help me defray the cost."

"Uh. I need that ten bucks for a twelve pack of beer. So give me the book for free."

a reply to: pthena

The cost of the works isn't the important thing. The laying down of the creative works is the important thing, regardless of its monetary value.

a reply to: pthena

Here's a tip for Sally: Don't eat yellow snow.

I liked it.

a reply to: MykeNukem

Thank you.

a reply to: pthena

Great story. Oh, and Sally sounds like a weirdo.

a reply to: Onlyyouknow

I think she may have taken advantage.

a reply to: pthena

I think your cat and my dog need to have a talk with Sally.