He was tired. Six hours of non-stop car-wash shift and it was a busy day. He knew he smelt of sweat and chemicals. The green vest did nothing to keep the polish and dirt marks off his long sleeve shirt. He wanted to drop and sleep, yet he dragged his feet towards the tram station – the drama queen was waiting at another stop.
She sniffed the sleeves of her top. It still smelled like greasy steak with a tinge of Impulse.
“Yuck! “, she thought. “I thought the smell would be less if I changed from that horrid uniform!” She wondered if he’d notice. Signing off an 8 hour shift at the local burger chain, she made her way towards the tram station. She saw him stepping out of the tram: shoulders drooped, baggy eyes, messy hair and the corners of her lips curled automatically. They both looked at each other and sighed heavily.
Together they walked side by side, sharing stories from work, bitching about workmates and wishing, when all of this would be over. He noticed how she looked at every well-dressed lady passing them and excitedly exclaimed someday, when all this is over, she’s going dress as good as them , stride the streets like them, and get coffee like a classy “Bitch”. She noticed him, smile to himself shaking his head and agree in a very serious way , how he’d get his black shiny Holden to pick her up from one of these buildings someday.
Her eyes stopped at a board outside a posh restaurant at North Terrace.
“Enjoy Adelaide’s Best Coffee $3.50 at our courtyard”, it said.
She literally jumped on her toes and pulled him across the road towards the Adelaide Railway Station.
Confused and well used to her random idiosyncrasy, he followed her.
“We deserve this once in a while”, she said and pushed him to the washroom asking him to wash his face and look fresh. She did the same. Nah, reality is not a scene from one of Enrique’s music videos.
Ten minutes later, they smartly stepped into the restaurant. He pulled a chair for her – being the gentleman he was.
“You do realise, ten bucks is all we have. And I stink – feel really out of place – why do I do this to myself ? ” , he said grinning.
“You stink of hardwork. Now, who said we have to wait until ALL THIS is over to have a posh date”, she winked.
“Hi there! What would you like today ? “, the waiter asked.
“Two cappuccino, please ”
Five Years Later…
She stood at the corner of Victoria Square on her tip-toes. It wasn’t that hard because they were black stilettos.
“Hello!!! Why would you get the car in the city you dumbshit!!! You won’t get parking…what? signal!! I’m wearing high heels you idiot, I can’t run!! and HANG UP!!! You’re gonna get fined and then I won’t be able to pay our water bill!!”
She turned around and tried to run to the Black Holden sedan waiting at the signal. He couldn’t help but laugh by himself. They came a long way.
“We could’ve WALKED there!” she said out of breath.
He grinned and his ages dropped five years.
“And miss the drama queen trying to run in those stupid, dangerous looking weapons ?”
He parked the car at a distance and she didn’t complain. She took off her stilettos and walked barefoot towards their “posh” restaurant. Together they walked side by side, sharing stories from work, and bitching about workmates. He waited for her , as she put on her stilettos again sitting on a bench before entering the restaurant.
As they entered the restaurant , she took a deep breath, overwhelmed by the sense of nostalgia.
“Hi there! What would you like today ? “, the waiter asked.
“Two cappuccino, please.”
Food for thought 