Finally! The bus pulled into the terminal in Crystal Lake and I quickly got up from my seat, grabbed my duffel bag and rushed from the bus eager to explore this new town that I will be calling home.
As my first foot hit the bitumen I twisted my head around taking in just what was around me and what I saw was a quaint little red brick building with an A framed roof as the station house which is surrounded by the car park and then across the road on either side is different kinds of businesses.
There is a tavern, not that I can go in there unfortunately and a used car lot, a Pop's Corn Cris, a hairdressers as well as a gazebo. Overall it looks lovely, and being the Midwest it should snow out here too so I can only imagine how beautiful it will be when it does. At the moment it is summer time and it is stinking hot and I'm already sweating and missing the air conditioning from on the bus.
I buy a map of the town from the bus station and slowly plod my way to the city centre to try and find some cheap accommodation or somewhere to stay. This is all new to me so I really don't know what I should be doing, but I do know that there are three things that I need to survive in life. A roof over my head, food and water in my belly and money to pay for it all.
I head towards a local diner and as I walk in I hear a bell ring shiver the door which startles me a bit as I'm not used to hearing it where I'm from, I look up at it as I walk through in shock and then back towards the front shaking my head muttering a "What the hell…" and continuing through to the front counter and taking a seat on the stool in the middle.
The middle aged waitress comes ambling out in her light pink uniform with white edging and a white apron and name tags that says PEGGY in big bold capital letters so that you can't miss it. Her bright red hair was put up in a bun and her face just screams no nonsense allowed. If a face can ever say that it would be hers. She has high cheek bones, sharp eyes and straight thin lips.
"Afternoon, what will ya have?" She asks me.
Yikes I haven't even looked at the menu yet I gulp. I was too busy appraising Peggy so I quickly pick it up and blaze my way through the food and drinks listed.
Having made my decision I glance up at her "Just a coke and a cheeseburger with fries please and thankyou". I gently put the menu back down and bend to my duffel bag in search of my money to grab out some cash. Pulling out a $100 bill I hand it to her and tell her
"I'm sorry, this is all I have. Nothing smaller. Do you need me to go break it elsewhere first?"
She tilts her head to the side as if in consideration and just tells me "It's fine, I can break it. I will come back with your change minus tip and your meal in a minute."
Peggy takes the bill from my hand and saunters off into the back of the diner where the kitchen is to place my order with the cook leaving me alone to my own devices.
I spin on my seat and glance around me, the place isn't bad I guess. Not that I've been inside many but it's clean with a long large bench and seats at it and then 6 booth tables where the customers can come to eat. All together not a huge diner but not a small one either, they must do all right for themselves so the food must be pretty good.
As I'm looking around I notice a sign in the window advertising for a waitress wanted. My eyes brighten up at that. I wonder if they will take on someone with no experience and no where to stay? All I can do is ask I guess.
I get up to go to the window and read the advertisement properly and that is where Peggy finds me when she comes out with my food and drink.
"Ah you are looking for work?" She asks me.
"Yes I just got to town and am looking to find work and somewhere to stay too". I turn back towards her with a smile on my face.
"Is the job still vacant and would I need experience? Because I kind of have none, but I'm a fast learner if that helps". I ask in desperation with pleading eyes.
"Job is still vacant and nah we would teach all you would need to know, it's a pretty easy job really. 5 shifts a week for 6 hours, you will work on mostly tips and you just take the orders, give them to Ted out the back and when they are ready you give them to the appropriate table and then just cleaning. Standard wage is four bucks an hour."
Peggy puts my change down beside my food and then asks me "You think you can handle that kid?"
"Yeah I can do that, when can I start? I just gotta find a place to stay and I will be good to go". I sit down and take a big bite of my burger and moan in delight because hot damn that is an orgasm on my tongue. My eyes roll back in my eyes and I look at Peggy and ask her
"What in good gravy do you guys do to make these this good? I feel like my tongue just came in my damned mouth!"
Peggy threw her head back and laughed so hard that she had tears coming out of her eyes. It was quite surprising, I really wasn't expecting it from a woman who looks so severe and cold.
"Well don't you have a mouth on you girl hahaha, I think I like you. What's your name?", she asks me.
"Avante Martin but you can call me Ava". I grin at her and hold out my hand for her to shake.
I feel like I may have just made my first friend, well I hope so.
"As for places you can stay, there is a youth hostel in town that helps young'uns and there are some cheaper type of hotels or you can stay with me until you get on your feet if you want. I have a spare room. And I will just charge you board for room and food. It's up to you."
I feel like my best bet would be to stay with Peggy for now and also go check out the youth hostel to see what they have happening there for a later date.
"Oh awesome thankyou! Has anyone ever told you that you're a fairy godmother?" I ask her while batting my eyelashes at her and sipping my coke.
She cackles at me turns to the people who have just come in the diner to take their orders. When she comes back she lets me know that her shift ends at 8 and she will take me home with her.
Until then I move out and decide to walk to the youth hostel for a quick look around.