So I've been at the restaurant for about 8 weeks now and I've already got a few regulars; a mother/ grown daughter duo, a middle aged couple and an elderly couple.
The elderly couple come in once a week, on Tuesday, and sit down to enjoy the same meal; chicken fingers with a garden salad for her- with a water/ no ice and a tea, and a bacon cheddar burger with fries, gravy on the side- with a coffee, black.
They sit in the same booth; or as close to it as I can manage, because I've noticed that although they are both very mobile, the husband's memory is deteriorating. Every time I see them I greet them happily, introduce myself and ask for their orders. Every time the husband smiles at me, tells me it's nice to meet me, and that I have his second favourite smile.
"You my dear, have the best smile I have ever seen, second only to the one across from me." Then he points to his wife; who giggles and blushes every time. I tell him he's a lucky man and he beams, before asking me the directions to the washroom.
The routine is set, but the problem is that he has no idea there's a routine. The husband has no idea we have ever met, let alone that I know exactly what he is going to order. When I realized this, I made sure to treat every encounter like our first, except with the wife. I make sure to introduce myself, give them menus and ask for their orders. (It's incredible to watch him 'hmm n' haw' over the menu and always decide on the same item.) Once I offered him our specialty avocado and brie burger, and he said, "That's too fancy for me, I like regular cheddar burgers."
"Is there anything else you would like on your burger?" I prompted him.
He thought hard about that and then asked, "Do you have bacon?"
"Of course!" I replied enthusiastically. Honestly, his eyes lit up like a kid who realized he could put sprinkles on his ice cream.
The wife recognizes me and asks me about my life; we carry on conversations about my writing progress every week, but the husband always asks "Is it a mystery?"
I'm shocked that it hasn't stuck. But to my amazement, the wife, instead of replying, "No, she's told us before that it's an adventure", she turns to me and waits for my answer just as expectantly as he does.
"Actually, it's a fantasy adventure book for young adults." I reply.
The husband looks disappointed, and the wife often replies with something like, "Oh that sounds lovely dear!"
Last week the husband sat down, I introduced myself, smiled, and he didn't compliment me. I was surprised by the change. I think the wife was too. She looked a little upset, but I couldn't really tell. I took their order- the same- and he asked for directions to the bathroom. As he walked away he looked very disoriented and his wife got up and walked him to the washrooms. I watched them go and followed her with a chair as she waited for him outside the men's room.
She was quiet for a bit, before she said, `Some days are better than others.`
I nodded. "How long has he been using the 'smile' line?"
She almost laughed, "I'm afraid you weren't even born the first time I heard that." She looked sadly up at me.
I smiled, "I'm glad to hear it."
She looked very confused.
"If he's been bragging that long, then you're a lucky woman."
I almost burst into tears when she pulled the tissue from her sleeve.
"I needed that." She told me.Then, he came out of the bathroom and they walked back to their table to enjoy the rest of their meal together.
I haven't seen them since, and won't be working on Tuesday to see them next week but I wish them more good days.
This couple has reminded me to roll with the punches, not to blame anyone for their faults but learn with them, and most of all, cherish the time that you have left with them. Eventually there will be more bad days than good days, and I hope that they (or at least she) can have some recent fond memories to remember, not just the `good old days`several years ago before the bad days started.
She seems strong enough to cherish the good days, I`m just glad I could help her see past part of a bad day and move on toward a good memory.
-Brandolyn
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