Service

"I have a lot of questions," Lorelei started (and Merle smiled). "I just bet you do," she replied, moving them over to the end of the service counter and putting a small yogurt parfait in front of the girl with a napkin. "Like this - this right here," Lorelei whispered, unable to resist a spoonful immediately. "Of all of the things in the case, why the yogurt parfait? How could you know that this is the perfect choice for me?" "Anybody can do a job, honey," Merle said softly, "but to do a service, you gotta read folks - really see them. This is your first day; you're nervous and everything is hard right now, so you need something soft - something that's easy to eat and neither piping hot nor freezing cold." "Wow," Lorelei whispered, amazed. "That one," Merle said gently, pointing with her eyes to a gentleman in the corner booth, "is at the end of his rope, barely hanging on. He ordered cereal, but he needs hot food to get some fire going. I pretended the eggs and toast were my mistake, and gave it to him for the price of a cold bowl." "Them?" Lorelei nodded delicately to the couple by the window. "Been fighting for two weeks; she runs hot, he despairs that this is all love will ever be," Merle replied. "Stack of cakes for her, 'cause they cool off quickly and she's gotta work at it; biscuits and gravy for him, so he learns to sop up the mess and move on." The bell rang as a regular came in and waved his hand in greeting. "You go introduce yourself," Merle encouraged her, "and, during your greeting, put the raw sugar bowl onto the counter and start talking up the cherry pie." "He bitter about something?" Lorelei asked, heading over. "You gonna do just fine here, my girl," Merle answered with pride.