Best Thing In Town

Today was Sunday. And I was hungry. And I decided to go downtown to pick up some food. Normally, my mom would go shopping, but she was under the weather today.

"I'll be back soon, Mom." I called from downstairs before I left. Of course I'd be back soon; it's not like I had anything better to do than sit around in my house for hours on end on a Sunday.

The clouds hung hopelessly through the air, and that's the way I liked it. Gray days like this put me in such a good mood it was absolutely unbelievable. I am strange. And I decided to walk downtown today.

I passed the local grocery store on my walk, thought about going in, and then decided not to. I was in the mood for some barbecue, oddly enough. And that's when I remembered a barbecue place down a couple of blocks. I've never been in there, but it seemed decent enough.

It was named Rod's Hickory Pit and there was an oak tree that hung above the building. I swear, I got distracted by it for at least five whole minutes. Until I heard the door of Rod's open and I remembered I was supposed to go in there.

For the middle of the afternoon, it was rather quiet. Only a few scattered people munching their food in the booths. I took a seat in the corner booth. I always had a thing for those.

"Hi. I'm Ollie." I heard a woman's voice say cheerfully. I looked up at her and smiled. "Ya know what you want?" She seemed nice and laid back. And real. She reminded me of Billie.

"I'll just have a Coke with a barbecue sandwich. If that's cool."

Ollie seemed to find whatever I said amusing, because she chuckled. "No problem, sweetie." And she walked in the back.

And as I was swirling the salt shaker around on the table, someone slid in the booth with me. "Hi, dollface."

Two pet names in less than two minutes?

I looked up, and there he was. With dark rings under his eyes, with dark tufts of hair, with light intentions in his eyes.

But dollface. Man, that one was pretty.

I almost choked. "Hey there." But I decided to play it cool. I am a cool person. Boys don't intimidate me.

But it was just unholy for a boy to look so gorgeous, I swear to you.

"Fun fact: your waitress is my mother." He smiled charmingly and picked up the salt shaker, swirling it around on the table, much like I had. He must have been spying on me. Should that bother me?

As I watched him mindlessly I noticed he had petite hands. Not particularly small but they weren't as "meaty" as some boys. Billie Joe wasn't as "meaty" as some boys. And maybe that's why he was so pretty to me.

It was then that I realized how unique he was. And I couldn't let it go.

"You guys kind of look the same," the words slowly left my mouth as I was picturing his mother and him, side by side in my mind.

He peeked up at me through his dark, feathered eyelashes and smiled. I bet he loved his mother. I could just tell.

And there she was again. "Billie Joe. Why are you harassing this beautiful young lady?" Ollie asked, pretty seriously.

I blushed.

Billie chuckled. " 'Cause." And that was that.