iraqihelpwanted.com

writing ex 9/1/08 : 263 (6m) 769 words total 23m
“it was awkward” “she didn’t even say anything. I went up to the table, but her and her friend kept talking. I didn’t want to interrupt, but eventually I was just standing there with an awkward look on my face, a half smile, half impatient how could you just keep talking when you know I’m waiting to talk to you expression. I finally got them to stop talking and look at me. I don’t know what I did, maybe it was just that they finally gave up their attempt to ignore me. I should have said excuse me right from the start, but you know me, not that smooth. Hey. I’ll have the usual, chicken cordon blue, medium with medium fries, no mayo, and extra honey mustard.” He stood aside and let Charlie step up to the counter. He looked down at the free lunch tickets, but didn’t take one.
“You should fill one of these out, you get a free sandwich, small after they send you an email coupon.”
“Yeah ok.” Charlie ordered his food as Tom turned and looked up at the television, the Indians were playing the White Sox. It was 6-4 Cleveland in the bottom of the fifth. He went around the island and sat on an attached stool, spinning slightly as if he owned the place. He tapped his fingers on the table, watching Melissa wrap a sandwich while Jerry shook the fries before droping them under the yellow heated light onto salted metal. He scooped them up into a medium container, pushing them down with the fry shovel. [6m]
Tom leaned over and grabbed a paper. The front page was on top, “Bush killed in terrorist bombing”. The picture showed the remains of three black suv’s all disheveled on the pavement of the Iraq street. Flames were shooting dark smoke into the air, hiding the windows above the store behind where they lay. The windows were blown out and you could see the glass glittering on the sidewalk. Soldiers were running towards the vehicles. Some were already there, three were standing in a huddle of sorts talking. “So where are you gonna work next. Well, I don’t know, probably not security. Really? I was thinking I could get top job if I switched to Al-Quida. You stupid s-o-b, if you joined Al-Quida they would send you out on the first suicide mission they got. Yeah, but if I hear right, the payment for that is 77 virgins in heaven to do whatever the heck I want them to do. That sounds a lot better than waiting around in the dessert for one of them to take me out on their way to the virgin prize. I’m gonna keep my out for suspects just to see if I can get recruited! Shut up Marley, Sarge’s commin. Saarge, I was just saying that if I’d a been here I would have shot them all in the eye with one shot while calling the president to tell him to stop before he got to the mailbox.”
"What are you talkin over here Tom," Charlie walked behind him and sat down a stool over. "You’d probably be wise not to make jokes about the president’s assassination. Some people might hear you and get pissed. Tom looked around. The clock above the tv said 2:34. There were two grey haired gentlemen sitting in the booths behind him, looking up at him as he turned to scope the restaurant. The gentlemen on the right slowly chewed his food, staring just long enough to show him he heard what he was saying. He did not pretend to smile, but coldly kept chewing his food, finally looking down to get a fry to dip in his vinegar. After putting it in his mouth he looked up again into Tom’s eyes.
“What? I was just trying to figure out what I would say if I were in charge of protecting the president and failed so miserably, only to have my picture on the front page of the paper with my zipper down before the nation.” He held up the paper and pointed to the guy in the middle of the huddle, mouth open but eyes lacking the assurance of someone confident they're going to keep their job. The man lowered an eyebrow, maintaining his emotional distance, this time grabbing a fry without looking down, still staring at Tom. He bit the fry, shook his head, and looked down. This time he looked up at his friend, Tom didn’t exist.They both ate in silence. Tom gave Charlie slanted eyebrows and wide eyes.