Exchange

12 pages

Chapter 6

The days didn't fly by that fast. Rick had been out of the hospital for a long time and continued to work, thereby helping Andrew and Renee. Everything was as usual: no defeats, no scandals. There was not even an objection to the workers. They've been working just fine this week. Renee even looked askance in their direction at first: imperceptibly, so as not to be seen. Andrew did not understand their indignation, he just worked without disturbing anyone. Rick, like the sun, handed out and accepted orders, which he then sent to Minyard. And this time he stuck out his tongue, responding to indignation with the short word "hot". A lot of people believed him, but half of them still didn't say anything. Rick was muttering to himself, looking out into the crowded room every other time. Andrew already wanted to give a damn about everything — the last orders, after all - but when he gave them away, the very notebook arrived on the tape, which he really wants to dodge. In it, on a new page, three titles were written down. Minyard dutifully prepared the dishes in the next twenty minutes and sent them back to Rick along with the notebook. All the orders that the red-haired man managed to collect were prepared and served to the client a long time ago. And, as a "good luck", they were no more. It was almost seven o'clock, and the restaurant had been empty since half past five: it was deserted and on the street, which led to a misunderstanding. Isn't there usually a crowd of people in the evening? Isn't this the time Andrew is praying for mercy? And Renee? For the guys, it seemed "a little strange." More precisely, for Andrew and Renee, and for Rick it was just a joy. The girl went outside, where stray dogs and cats were still walking. There really were no people! Neither on the street nor in the shops — they were closed. Andrew suggested that we sit a little longer, and then, if people don't show up, go home. So they did — they sat for about an hour, and then left, locking the restaurant. Rick asked to go to Andrew's house, to which Andrew initially objected, but then agreed anyway. It is better to walk along the "creepy" streets together than to go through it alone, thereby feeling uncomfortable. Renee couldn't get through to her public taxi driver, so she walked. The red—haired man denied it, said that he would disappear again - he did not trust. Renee comforted the guy as best she could, then packed up and left. It doesn't take her that long to walk, but after work, the body gets tired, and there is no particular desire to move like a zombie. The guys walked calmly, no one said a word. Andrew was happy about it, but Rick was probably bored. He waited a little longer, hoping that Minyard would speak first, but that didn't happen. Then Rick went his own way: "Andrew." He had nothing more to say. The blond turned around and looked at his friend, and then said: "Huh?" it sounded so quiet that Rick could hardly imagine it. "I'll stay with you. Can I?" "Why not" was the last sentence Andrew said. There were no more questions or answers in his direction. Rick just kept quiet, he was happy, but he hid it.

—

"Put your things on the dresser," Minyard said, taking off his shoes. Rick obediently performed the action, stood next to Andrew and fell silent. The blond man went into the kitchen, poured a whole kettle and put it to boil. He looked at Rick, who was leaning against the wall as if he wasn't himself. "Come on in, you fool," Minyard replied to Rick's mute gaze, "what kind of tea will you have?" "And what are there?" the red-haired man said, walking into the room. Andrew climbed into the cupboard, where tea bags were stacked in piles. There were four stacks of them in total. "OK... there are raspberries, berries of all varieties..." Andrew didn't finish. Rick interrupted him: "All varieties? all?" "All sorts, everything," Andrew repeated. "There is a regular one that you drink most often, and there is one with lemon. It seems to be mixed with lime." Rick stood for a long time and thought which one tasted better. Then he waved it off, saying that all teas are delicious in their own way, and therefore it is impossible to choose between them. He took an ordinary, "native" bag and put it in a glass, poured boiling water over it and waited. Andrew did not take the tea bag — instead, he brewed himself coffee. Then he sat down opposite Rick and also fell silent. They were silent for what seemed like an eternity, after which Rick spoke up: "Why do you think all the bad things happen in our city?" There was clearly emotion in his voice, or maybe absent—mindedness. Andrew didn't say anything, but just picked up a spoon and, as luck would have it, began tapping on the cup. Two minutes later, Minyard gave up: "I don't think anything. I absolutely don't give a damn about what is happening at the moment, and even more so," he fell silent without finishing his thought. It seems that Andrew sensed the edge of the limit and therefore did not cross it. The look Rick gave Andrew was two-sided: surprise overshadowed annoyance. "Especially what?" Rick wanted to get an answer to his question and the blond's unfinished thought, but the minutes were still passing, and Andrew was not eager to answer his question. The next two hours passed slowly. The guys sat in silence, no one started a conversation. This could have affected the relationship between Andrew and Rick, but Rick himself was well aware that Andrew simply did not like to talk. Sometimes he just doesn't understand what people are driving at when communicating. A few years ago, Minyard started taking pills officially attributed by the court. This medication schedule was supposed to last for about three years, after which Andrew was supposed to be taken off them. But some time later, Andrew was taken to the hospital for about two weeks to be cured. While under the pills, Andrew went through three stages: first, psychological and physical shock, then painful withdrawal, and finally, an insane craving for a new dose. Because of the medicine, Minyard was influenced by the effect, from which the guy caused ridicule of others, a mocking smile and a tendency to aggression. Now, after removing the prescribed drug, Andrew looked like a broken man in his soul. There was no smile either—there was just an ordinary look. A moment later, Rick said: "Andrew," it didn't sound like a question. Rick just blurted out Minyard's name, even though he was thinking about it to himself. Andrew looked from the spoon he was carrying around the table to the guy. At first, the look was, as usual, empty, and then, without waiting for the continuation, Minyard raised an eyebrow and opened his mouth slightly, but did not say anything. It was not difficult for Rick to see the expression on Minyard's face. He looked at the blond man, thereby meeting his gaze; leaned back in his chair and explained: "I'm not trying to get any truth out of you. It's just hard for me to look at you," he paused before continuing, "Watching you suffer. Are you sleeping at all? If so, approximately how many hours? Of course, you don't get enough sleep. Maybe you should take the day off?" Minyard listened quietly, putting his spoon aside so as not to make too much noise. He rested his chin on the hand that had previously held the device. Slightly lowering his eyes, he replied: "I only sleep when I feel sleepy." He got up and took the empty cup to rinse it and put it in its usual place. Leaning back against the countertop, he added, "And yes, I don't need a day off. Cheika has a difficult situation. You can't get to him now, because we're here, and he's fucking abroad!" After a moment's thought, Rick nodded freely and returned to his thoughts. Andrew went into the room and lay down on the bed. He did not try to fall asleep, but only relaxed in order to rest for a little while and shake off the accumulated fatigue. Minyard didn't think about anything except how to lie down properly for at least an hour. Every day in their city is different: not a day without any problems. This, of course, is not their business, but most of the criticism fell directly on the Penguin Restaurant. A few weeks ago, the guys worked perfectly: no threats, no scandals, no opposites. But now, in this period of time, people seem to have been influenced by some kind of "magic": they don't like absolutely everything related to the Penguin. Rick sometimes offered to close the restaurant for a while, which the director rejected. Indeed, he put a question mark on the ad, which has been lit on social networks for the fourth time.

—

Andrew got up in the morning as usual. Going into the kitchen through the living room, he saw Rick sleeping on the couch. After making himself a cup of coffee, Andrew trudged into the living room to wake up a friend — the working day begins in an hour and a half. Waking Rick up has become Andrew's most difficult task: if he wakes up half an hour earlier, or maybe even an hour earlier, then Rick, of course, sleeps until he wakes up — until he gets tired of sleeping. That's why he's fifteen or twenty minutes late. Renee has already accepted his tardiness, because every day she works a little for two counter sellers at the same time. Andrew helps her sometimes, but that's only in extreme cases. Minyard was not willing to be late, but he understood how difficult it was for Rick. Andrew gently pushed Rick so that he rolled over on his side. Then he pulled the pillow from under the guy's head, but he was still sleeping peacefully. Andrew had no desire to mess with Rick. He grabbed Rick's left leg and, after a moment, pulled it towards him. The mad crash that came from the fall did not bother Minyard at all, but Rick was still asleep. Andrew was considering various options that would help wake up the sleepy bear. Of the seven pieces, Andrew chose the best one: pour water over it. No, well, what about it? He went into the kitchen, took a glass from the top cabinet and put it under the faucet. Then he took a little cold water and, turning around, dropped the glass on the floor. Rick stood in front of him, barely able to stand on his feet. Rick rested his hands on the edge of the table and glared at Minyard, who was picking up the remaining glass. "You have slightly pumped—up methods for awakening," Rick said in a hoarse voice. Andrew stood in front of the guy and, looking straight into his eyes, said: "And it's not my fault that you're so dead." After waiting a little, the guys gathered and also quietly trudged into the restaurant.

—

A few more days passed—the twenty-ninth of June. Lately, Renee began to notice that the old people were almost not visible, but only those who neither she nor the guys were familiar with came. She did not share her theory that people were missing with anyone, but only continued to work and quietly followed what was happening. Walker's acquaintances were unavailable. There were no friends in sight either. The city is literally deserted. There was no news that used to be shown twice a day, in the morning and at lunch. The network began to work much differently — the Internet almost did not catch. Stray cats and dogs did not let the city completely empty. If, for example, two weeks ago there was just an unbearable number of customers and people walking down the street, then during this period of time there was no one among them except a few strangers. There were traffic jams that day, but now the sidewalk and the roadway were empty. Those words of Rick, which neither Rene nor Minyard believed from the word at all, seemed to have begun to come true. Sometimes it just made Rick laugh, because you sit all day and just take the order of the person who comes every two hours. It's not the same person. It's just that not a company comes, as it was then, but one or two people at a time. Just one or two clients. The idea that people were disappearing became clearly the central link in the whole city. On the one hand, we moved to another place, where it is more comfortable. On the other hand, why? There is no internet access; there is almost no water left. Rene wanted to think that someone had simply forgotten to turn on the mains, and there was no water due to the rebuilding of the pipes. She didn't want to think at all that someone had forgotten about the existence of this city. They were all alone. Rene, Andrew, Rick; stray dogs and cats.

—

A little more, and July will come — the second month of summer. This is, of course, good, but not everyone is ready to miss a whole summer month just like that. More studies and work, which is terrifying. Although adults work in the summer, but we'll skip it. According to Rick, July is his favorite month. June is also good, but he doesn't like August. It's his birthday on the seventeenth, in August. And not only because of this! Every year, in the last month of summer, prices in their restaurant go down for a certain period of time. They do not go into the minuses, although the amount is twenty-five percent less. Renee was still working: quietly, without incident. For Rick, there is no day without problems — either it will go wrong, or everything will go down the drain. Or maybe he'll get tired of working at all: he'll sit down and fall asleep. For Minyard, the days are going on as usual. He works as calmly as Walker. Of course, sometimes he will fall asleep, but it's not every single day. Andrew has started sleeping more often, and therefore the work is going as it should. The only downside is that the guys hardly communicate with each other during working hours. And after the end of the day, they go home. As I remember, Andrew has days off. He swaps places with Cheika. But Walker and Rick work seven days a week: there is no replacement. In the future, the director thinks to pass the working time so that he can work from Monday to Friday, and on Saturday and Sunday all workers have a day off. Maybe the weekend will not be on weekends, but, for example, on Tuesday and Saturday, so as not to get hung up on a two-day vacation. The workers approved this idea one hundred percent. Rick became a special endorser. He walked around happy all day, even though he knew that it would not be soon at all. Walker rejoiced in turn: first there was mute delight, then contempt. She still accepted it, because weekends are also important. The guys also agreed to discuss the details of the new idea after the end of the day. They stayed in the recreation area, where they spent some time playing. Andrew sat in the middle of a large blue-gray sofa, resting his forehead on his knees. Renee sat on the left side and Rick on the right, thereby pinning Minyard on both sides. Renee bought another set-top box and uploaded several games to the big TV in which the three of them can play. Next, she brought her backpack-purse and took out a small rectangular box, the color of which was dominated by light beige and dull pink. Rick immediately recognized this box – The world made for us — it's very difficult to forget, because it contains the juiciest and most delicious donuts. There are about twelve doughnuts in one box: six pieces are on the bottom, six more are already on top. A two-tier box. The donuts themselves cannot be called small, they are the size of a man's palm, or even more than half of it. There are three types of filling: banana, chocolate and strawberry. Rick likes this product very much. Sometimes he eats almost all the donuts himself without noticing it. Renee is not angry, because she has several more boxes in stock — she buys them almost every day, namely when they have a discussion scheduled. Or just a joint game that goes in addition to the conversation. There were enough doughnuts for everyone: four each. Taking up the consoles, the guys stared at the screen in silence. Since Renee had the main joystick, she opened a tab with different games arranged alphabetically. It is not difficult to guess which game is for three people, because in the upper right corner you can select point three. In the first point, the game is for one person, while in the second — a pair game. If you do not blunt, then in the third option there will be games that are created for three. Choosing the game at number two hundred and sixty-second out of five hundred, Rene pressed the button below — forward — and started the first half. The game consisted of three parts, one of which the guys were playing now. No one remembered today's idea, because everyone was busy. The waiters left, the restaurant closed. Rather, it did not completely close, but simply changed the sign on the door. A little later, Rick realized. He snatched the console out of the girl's hand and paused the game. The look Walker gave him wasn't so kind, but it wasn't malicious at all. Let's say it's neutral. She smiled softly, but it wasn't her usual smile. There was silence. At one point, it seemed to Rick that he had done it in vain. A whole minute passed, and then it came to Rene. She opened her mouth, but then closed it without saying a word. Rick, seeing this, flippantly said: "Did you also remember that idea?" Without hesitating, she shifted in place, and then replied: "Yeah. I think we're the only ones interested in this," she looked with a sly smile at Minyard, who was still looking at the TV, which was paused. Then, without turning his head, he imperceptibly shifted his gaze to Rene. Rick joined in the peering. He was looking the same way Rene was looking at Andrew. "Apparently, it is." "He's not interested," Rick said with annoyance, looking at Walker as if Andrew wasn't there at all. After waiting a bit, Andrew remembered why they were here. Throwing up his hands, he explained: "I just remembered now." The puzzled looks that Minyard received made him regret the truth a lot, but neither Rick nor Rene were mad at him at all. Another minute passed before Walker left, leaving the door ajar. She returned in a minute and a half. In one hand she had a round glass cup; in the other she had a pen and a notebook. She came up to the guys, but did not sit down in her place chosen at the beginning. "The director told me in the morning that I need to sign. Right here," Walker added, handing the notebook and pen to Minyard. The blond man signed his name, then turned to Rick. "When did you manage to sign?" he noticed their signatures in the notebook. The entire team must sign the official notebook once every three months. Only one line was empty, which belongs to Andrew. "Since this morning, as soon as the news about the weekend was announced," Rick said with a shrug.— You were too busy with orders, so we decided not to disturb you. Or did we do it for nothing? Andrew himself did not know what was in vain and what was not. He came to terms with it pretty quickly, so he shrugged innocently. Renee, who was standing next to the guys, took the notebook and pen and took them back. When she returned, she had already sat down on the sofa and, turning half around, stared at the guys. "The director asked me to make a weekend plan." "Cool," Andrew replied dryly. She smiled slightly and, after waiting a little, said: "Well, of course, two days off a week, so also your own. They won't cancel yours," she paused, only then added, they'll cut it. "You'll have a day off on Saturdays. So, it turns out, Saturday is reclining. What about Monday and Thursday?.. Wednesday is better, isn't it?" "Personally, I'm in favor," Rick blurted out. After thinking about it, Andrew also agreed. Renee, having clarified everything necessary, explained: "So that's it. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday are working days. Saturday too, but not for Andrew. The director said he would change the working hours so that everyone could do everything in time, okay?" After waiting for the guys to nod, she continued, "So, the working day starts at ten o'clock in the morning and ends at eight thirty in the evening. I think this is what we need. The salary will also increase, however, by nine percent, but this is also good." She was silent for a very short time. There was a pause for the guys to digest what they had heard. When the guys nodded again, Renee smiled and began to conclude her thought. "The menu will change slightly, but the previous orders will remain. It seems that seven or nine more dishes will be added. The director also plans to hire two chefs: the first to replace Andrew, the second to Chiiki. I can refuse this offer if it doesn't suit you," she turned to Minyard. He just frowned and said nothing. "Okay, I'll refuse." "Cool," Rick said, "are we going to keep going?" After waiting for Walker to realize his intention, he pointed at the TV. She pulled the console off the guy's lap and resumed the game. For the next twenty minutes, they silently hacked at the joystick, winning for the fourth time.

Chapter 7

After the approval of the director's new idea, the rules in the restaurant resumed. The day off was set on Wednesday, which means that the Penguin is closed on this day of the week. They also installed a small electronic tablet that stood on the counter next to Rene. You can scroll from top to bottom to view the main menu. According to customers, the restaurant has become much better than it was then. There are various topics in the news about the Penguin Restaurant. There are a lot more customers themselves — more than in those days when there were an unbearable number of them. Andrew works on the days that everyone else works. Saturday's day off has been canceled, because due to problems with moving back, Chiyka voluntarily resigned. Another man was taken in his place — Theodore Shaliz. He's good on his own, he's doing a great job, even though he's fifteen. Theo did not ask the director for a new position, because, just like Andrew, he applied for an employee at the restaurant and waited. The application was received and accepted, they thought that the person was of legal age. Even at such a young age, the teenager managed to get a job and work shifts on Saturday and Sunday. Theodore became friends with Andrew quickly, they prepared orders together, and in their free time they chatted about something. He also did not forget to communicate with Rene and Rick. Walker liked the guy right away, and Rick needed a week to get used to the new cook. In the end, Theodore Shaliz joined the main team, where he was welcome. Although the guy works twice a week, he comes to the institution on weekdays to help Andrew. The director is not against evening hikes, much less help. With such an assistant, things were done with success. It was as if a large ball of calm and relief had descended on Andrew. Renee was happy about the new employee for a long time, while Rick just didn't like him. The waiters only talk about Theodore, and the customers soon became interested in the guy's personality too. The director is happy with what he has, and Theo himself is unhappy with it, but carefully hides it. He wants to be an ordinary recruit at the Penguin Restaurant, but in every possible way does not want to be popular or famous all over the city. He feels sorry for Rick and Rene, who deserve more, and especially for Minyard, who works all day long and then goes home to sleep and go to work again. Theo feels sorry for Andrew because the blond guy himself is a slightly "problematic" guy who does not need help and support. During those few days working with Minyard, Shaliz learned little about the guy. Andrew hardly talks about his personal life, or to put it another way, he doesn't talk at all. He doesn't mention it, he doesn't want to. Mignard himself learned a lot of interesting things about Theo, and really uninteresting. For example: the guy learned to cook at the age of six — his grandmother taught him. He started painting at eight, graduated from art school at thirteen and continues to paint at home, waiting for adulthood. In the transition from the age of ten to eleven, Theo learned several rules, the first of which was distrust. In second place was the lack of openness to others, and in third place — don't stick your nose anywhere. Back when Theodore turned fourteen—and that was a year ago—he lost his mother and stayed with his father. In turn, the boy's father was good, they spent time together, the man went to work, sometimes took Theo with him. At the age of fifteen, Theodore went to work himself, or rather, to start looking. Of the six establishments that needed a new employee, they took only one, the last one. And Theo does not regret the chosen place, although the Penguin is not so popular. The guy did not tell his childhood story. Either he didn't remember, or he didn't want to remember. Having finished with his list of dishes, Andrew sent them one by one on the tape. The notebook was left with Theo, who was still cooking. About twelve minutes later, Shaliz, just like Andrew, sent orders by tape, and at the end, putting a check mark in his notebook, sent it after him. Between five and six o'clock, Rene and Rick came to Andrew and Theo. They were divided into two conversation groups: Theo and Walker were in one, and Minyard and Rick were in the other. Rick didn't know what the first group was talking about, but he was angry about something. "Don't you think Theo is a bit weird?" He turned to Andrew. After a moment's thought, Andrew replied: "I didn't notice Theo's oddities." "And in vain," Rick said at the end of the conversation, not wanting to think about Shalise. He doesn't like him, which means Rick will do something that can have very bad consequences. He is not jealous of Renee for a fifteen-year-old teenager, he is just afraid to lose his friendship with her, break off contacts and forget himself forever in her soul. Realizing that Theo himself is against the growing popularity, Rick does not find a place where he can sit alone and think about something else.

—

On Saturday, the twenty-second, an event was to be held in the restaurant, in which both children and adults would participate at will. On this day, people should come in all white or in shades of green. Andrew wasn't so happy about it, but he managed to put on a fake half-smile. He, like everyone else, clapped his hands, "rejoicing" at the event. While everyone was going to their places, Rick caught up with Minyard, leaning shoulder to shoulder. It was obvious from his face that he, like Andrew, was not happy about the Saturday holiday. "Well?" Rick asked Andrew. "Are you happy about the event." "No more than you," Andrew replied without emotion, opening the door to the kitchen. It would seem that Rick was slightly pleased with the answer, but Andrew still felt the tension in his comrade's shoulders. Rick didn't want to go to the event any more than Andrew did. The guys had the idea of not coming, but if the director finds out about it, then Rick and Minyard will be in trouble. Not wanting to think about anything else, Andrew waited for orders, and Rick returned to the counter. Renee was already working hard: pouring drinks, writing down the ordered dishes in a notebook. Walking over to Walker, he took the notebook and, saying "thank you" to her, began to examine it. I also wrote down orders, and then, when two pages of my wallet were full, I sent them to Andrew via tape. The latter, in turn, slowly reached the notebook and took it. After looking at the two pages allotted, Andrew began to cook. He hadn't seen Theodore Shaliz, and he hadn't seen him anywhere, even though it was a Saturday afternoon. It seemed strange to Minyard, because Theodore is not late at all. The thought popped into my head that the guy was just staying at home, although he didn't know why. Perhaps Theo got tired of working and quit, but this thought, which occupied only nine percent of the others, was not so justified. Shaliz struggled to find a job, work his shift and get money, half of which must be spent on food and new clothes, and the rest saved and paid for utilities. Having stopped thinking about anything, Andrew prepared the ordered dishes, and later sent them by mail. Rick and Rene handed them over to the waiters and, after waiting for them to put the food on a tray, trudged over to Andrew. Renee, noticing something first, asked: "Where is Theodore?" The answer to her question was a long silence, no one knew where Theo was now. Without waiting for an answer to her question, Renee left, leaving the door almost wide open. She was gone for about five minutes, and when Rick showed up, he sighed. "Were you looking for something? Did you find this?" It seemed to Walker that Rick was picking on her, but she didn't know the reason. Tilting her head to the side, she turned her gaze to Minyard, who was hesitant to enter into conversation. "Why don't you love him?" Renee asked Rick. "He's a good guy." "Is it good?" the red-haired man was doing a great job of looking askance at someone. He paused to continue, looking at the floor and muttering something unintelligible to himself. Andrew looked from the girl to the guy, back and forth. A minute passed, after which Rene and Rick got into an argument that clearly didn't want to end. They argued for so long that it seemed like an eternity to Minyard, but he sat and silently listened to the remarks of his friends, without saying a word.