LAST RESORT

LAST RESORT

Rain lashed at the café window as James hugged his coffee cup close to his chest, he could feel the warmth go right through his shirt and he was unwilling to put the cup down. On his plate lay the remains of a bacon butty, he never did like the crusts from when he was a little boy and no amount of coaxing from his mother and in later years his wife could ever make him eat the dam things. He looked over his shoulder half expecting one of the waitresses to come across and ask him why he was not eating them. He picked up his briefcase and opened it, looked at the packet of cheese sandwiches that Kate had packed for him and the daily newspaper opened at the job section, sighing he closed it again. He knew he would have to tell Kate about his redundancy and soon. He knew he could not keep coming in here every day and sitting for hours before walking around for miles until it was time to go home again. He would just have to sit Kate down and tell her the truth; no more shopping trips with her friends buying frivolous bits and bobs that served no purpose for man or beast. She would have to cut down on the bingo sessions too, and the visits to the hairdressers. Also the kids expensive contract mobile phones would have to go, I mean they were only 8 and 10 years old for crying out loud what in the name of god did they need such expensive phones for. Right James decided it was no or never, he would go home to Kate and lay down the law. Standing up to leave James remembering what a temper Kate had and decided another strong coffee was in order before entering the lion’s den.

Tracy cut up the 2 sausages into bite size pieces and pushed the plate towards her young son Charlie and said…there you go if you eat up
All your lunch you will be a big strong cowboy. All Charlie ever wanted to be was a cowboy and have a horse called Fred. Where Charlie got the name Fred from Tracy did not know, must have got it from a game at nursery school. Tracy ruffled her sons blond hair and picked up her coffee cup and took a sip. Looking out the window on to the seafront she saw an elderly couple battling against the elements trying to save their umbrella from turning inside out. Tracy felt a tear prick the corner of her eye and not wanting Charlie to see her upset she picked up a serviette and dabbed her eye. That could have been Paul and me in future years she thought. They had so many plans her and Paul, they were childhood sweethearts met when they were 14 at secondary school and Charlie came along 6 years later, not planned but VERY much wanted. Paul and Charlie were inseparable and they went everywhere together. Charlie would jump on Paul’s back and they would ride around the living room whooping and hollering like real live cowboys.
Tracy could still see it now, Charlie shouting at the top of his voice intersperse with fits of giggles and Paul shouting, “ride him cowboy”. She would never see them do that again she realized sadly and dabbed at her eyes again. Suddenly the café door opened and Charlie jumped up out of his chair and ran towards the door shouting “daddy daddy” and Paul bent down and scooped the little boy up in to his arms. Tracy stood up and handed Paul Charlie’s coat and said I will pick him up from here at 4 p.m. and headed for the door. As she reached the door she heard their son say to Paul, “daddy is Fred in the car?” Paul nodded and father and son headed outside into the rain towards a battered old Grey landrover parked on the opposite side of the road. Tracy watched as a young many with spiky black hair got out and ruffled her son’s hair and lifted him up into the back of the car, after hugging Paul the man jumped back in the passenger seat and the three of them drove off.
Tracy walked towards her car, she had thought that her and Paul were for life until the evening he sat her down and told he he had been living a lie. Turning the key in the ignition she pulled away slowly from the kerb mourning what could have been.

Jean shook the umberella as Harry held the door open for her; it was so good to get in out of the rain and wind. They took their usual table by the window and Harry went up to the counter and ordered 2 rounds of buttered teacakes and a pot of tea. Harry knew that the waitresses would have come to their table and take their orders, but Harry was a gentlemen and he thought the young girls did enough on their long day without traipsing over to him and Jean. They had been coming to this café for the past 6 years since moving to a retirement flat from one of the large cities. Every Monday after picking up their pension Harry and Jean would call into the café rain or shine. It was something in their lives to look forward to, every since their only child Martin had emigrated to Australia 4 years ago along with his wife and their only grandchildren 13 year old twins Mark and Clare. Harry knew that they had made the right decision to emigrate to give the children a better life but him and Jean so missed them. Arriving back at the table Harry put the tray down and Jean said to him “Harry read this” she handed him a copy of the weekly newspaper that was on the table. Harry took the paper and saw that it was opened at the advertisement section. Taking a bite out of his teacake trying not to let the melted butter dribble on to the paper he began to read young single mother looking for surrogate grandparents for her 4 year old son. Harry looked at Jean and said “why don’t we ring the number? we have so much love to give and it looks like this little boy could really benefit from it” Going over to the pay phone in the corner, Harry dialed the number and a young lady answered. Harry spoke “I saw the advert in the weekly echo for surrogate grandparents and myself and my wife were wondering if you would consider us?” The young mother replied “oh how lovely, my name is Tracy and my sons name is Charlie, could I ask you if you like cowboys?”

Mario flipped the burgers on the grill went to the freezer and got a bag of sliced onions out. Placing a handful of onions next to the burgers he slit open the burger baps and placed them on the grill also. Turning on the radio the dolcet tones of Mario Lanza came crooning over the airwaves, tears pricked Mario's eyes, and it was only the onions he told Michelle the work experience girl when he saw her concern. But the truth was that Mario was thinking of his mother who when she immigrated to England from Italy all those years ago named her first born son after the great Italian opera singer. All his young life Marios' mother had just one record by this great singer and she played it until it was all scratched and no longer playable. Now she was in a nursing home suffering from Alzheimer’s and would no longer be able to enjoy her one and only pleasure and this upset Mario very much. Every Sunday Mario and his wife Sonya went to visit Elena at the nursing home and Mario could see his beloved mother slipping away bit by bit and it broke his heart. He did not want his beloved mother to go into a home but Mario knew that he could not give her the care and attention that she deserved and so it was with a heavy heart that he made the decision and drove his mother there 6 months ago. How he wished he could make Elena’s eyes light up one more time but he feared he was asking the impossible. Just then Michelle came back from her lunch break and asked to speak to Mario. Washing his hands he made them both and expresso and led her to one of the booths. “Mr. Andretti” Michelle began, “I am coming to the end of my work experience and would like to say what a joy it has been to work for you, you treated me with respect and not like some snotty nosed kid and I so appreciate that”. Mario blushed and said “it was nothing Michelle, you are a hard worker and a lovely young lady and you will make some lucky young man a wonderful girlfriend”. Now it was Michelle’s turn to blush, she put her hand inside her rucksack and pulled out a small wrapped package and handed it to Mario. My uncle owns a music shop in London and I know how much you mother liked Mario Lanza. So I got you and your mother this little gift to say thanks for being a good and patient teacher”. Mario took off the wrapping and gasped, inside was a CD of Mario Lanzas greatest songs in Italian. Michelle Looking at Marries' reaction continued “You could take along a portable CD player and play this for your mother. Maybe it will light her eyes up once more”. Mario looked at this remarkable young 16 year old girl and with tears in his eyes he said “thank you” and this time it was not the onions making him cry.

That night as Sonya watched her Mario pull the shutters down on their café she said to him “ that is a perfect name for our café” “LAST RESORT…. For at the last resort café you have to have what’s on the menu you can leave your sadness at the door and go home happy.

Anna Brown July 2003