American Apocalypse IV - Chapter 16a - by Nova

Our waitress was what I expected.  Bleach blond hair with the dark roots reclaiming half her head. Bad teeth and a worse attitude. Dressed in clothes that would have set her off nicely twenty years ago.  She was hot.  Not.  Her first words were "I'm not serving you if you don't muzzle that dog."

I didn't say anything.  I just reached into my pocket, opened my money pouch, and slapped a silver dollar on the table.  Then I pulled out four more and said "This enough to buy the house drinks?"

Her attitude changed.  She smiled. It wasn't pretty. "Why yes. I think that will work. What do you boys want?"

I indicated the bouncer and told her "He gets a drink too."

She had already scooped up the silver. Woof had watched and started growling but Zane put his hand on his shoulder and said "No Woof."  She didn't waste any time backing up either. 

"What you got?"

She pursed her lips, looked off to the right, and read the invisible menu for awhile.  I was getting ready to say "Hello?" when she tuned back in and told us "Bean chili. Hamburger, but that really sucks, then she smiled again "That's it!"

I told her "Three chilies"

She smiled again and left. I noticed she headed straight to the bar first. As she walked away I noticed Zane checking her ass out.  At least I thought it was her ass until he asked me "Why does she have a tattoo above her butt G?"

"It's her PIN number."

He looked at me blankly. "Just decoration kid."

"Yuck."

Zane talked to me about what he was going to tell his Mom while I listened and felt the surface flow of the room change. It was still ugly but the ugly was biding its time.  That was what I wanted. We needed time to refuel.