Page 10 of Don't You Forget About Me
‘It’s busy with only me on.’
I wonder if I am supposed to apologise for this.
I look down at the material he’s holding. A beige trench coat.
‘That’s not mine.’
‘Oh.’
‘It’s pink and fluffy.’
Callum disappears back inside. Minutes pass and I think: there’s no way more than one piece of outerwear the colour of taramosalata in the cloakroom to justify this length of hold up. I bob down and peer under the tea-coloured nets in the window. Callum is taking an order for a table of eight people. He is chatting and joking and obviously in no rush.
Frustration wins out over shame and I wrench the door open and march back in. I feel multiple pairs of eyes on me as I rifle among the row of pegs on the back of the door behind the bar and claim my property.
‘Young lady – young lady?’
I turn and see Mr Keith is beckoning me over. I glance warily in the direction of the kitchen, but what’s Tony going to do, sack me again?
I approach. He’s dabbing his mouth with a napkin.
‘I’m sorry about what happened just now. If I’d known the consequences …’
‘Oh, it’s fine,’ I say. ‘It’s not your fault.’
‘In the future, remember honesty is always the best policy.’
I stare at him. He’s telling me off again? For fu—
‘I was honest. The chef was lying,’ I snap.
‘You’re saying he didcook me another meal?’
Ah.
‘No he didn’t but he told me he wouldn’t so I …’
‘Lied?’
‘To keep my job! He told me to lie!’
‘And how’s that working out for you?’
I open and close my mouth and dumbly repeat: ‘He was the one lying.’
‘Anyway. I’ve decided not to write it up, so as not to embarrass you.’
My jaw drops.
‘That’s what he wanted! That’s why he sacked me! So you’d feel bad about saying how shit the food is!’
I’ve become shrill and everyone’s looking round now.
‘Write it up! Tell everyone what it’s like, say I was sacked, I don’t care!’
‘That’s not a very collegiate attitude, is it?’
‘Or …’ I say, I feel the room hold its breath,‘I’llwrite it up for you. I could write you a great piece about this place. No conflict of interest anymore.’
