Dinner Reservations

                “This is it!” said Aunt Lorraine as she led the family into the restaurant. Styled like colonial inn, the lobby had wooden benches in front of a large, open hearth fire.

                “This place is great!” Uncle Peter said as Aunt Lorraine went to check their reservation. “They serve a whole Thanksgiving dinner! Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans…”

                “Pasta?” asked Sarah.

                “No, Sarah. Only Uncle Frank serves macaroni and meatballs on Thanksgiving.” Libby replied.

                “Okay, we’re all checked in! They’ll call us as soon as our table is ready.” said Aunt Lorraine as she rejoined the group.

                “It’s a busy place, it must be good.” commented Mom. The waiting area was filled with people and most of the seats where taken. Only here and there were open seats, and the group had to split up. Mom and Aunt Lorraine took seats on a bench, Alex and Libby sat on the edge of the steps, and Sarah sat in a chair in the corner. Uncle Peter, Dad, and Nick had to stand because of the lack of seats.

                However, that eventually changed. As the time passed other people were shown to their tables and the guys took the empty bench. They sat talking while more families showed up and were seated. The little kids and Nick started to get hungry and restless. Already it was half an hour past their reservation time.

                As was often their habit, Mom, Aunt Lorraine, Nick, and Libby started texting each other to entertain themselves. Libby’s phone buzzed in her pocket and to get it out she had to move Alex, who was using his older sister as a pillow. After a very long and exciting day at the Magic Kingdom, he was exhausted.

                “Hey, Alex, sit up for a second.” Sleepily Alex straightened up for a second and then sank back down as soon as Libby got her phone. She checked her messages and found a text from Aunt Lorraine.

Aunt Lorraine ~ Ewwwww, the girl next to me has hairy feet!

                Libby looked up and saw her aunt’s face from across the room. Her nose was squished up she looked extremely grossed out.

Libby ~ Yuck! That’s gross. And disgusting.

Aunt Lorraine ~ It is gross and disgusting! And it’s not just her toes, her whole foot is hairy!

Libby ~ Maybe she’s a yeti. Are her feet big as well as hairy?

Aunt Lorraine ~ Yes! Her brother’s feet are big and hairy too. It must run in the family.

Libby ~ Ewwwwww

                Alex sighed deeply and said to Libby, “What time is it?”

                “Uhmmm, around 7:10.”

                “Do you think our table is ready yet? ‘Cause I’m hungry.”

                “I don’t know. Hold on, Nick just sent me a text.”

Nick ~ Its suppertime! Yea, its supp-er-time! Aaaand when suppertime comes can supper be far away?

                “Oh brother.” said Libby.

                “Libby, I’m bored.” said Sarah.

                “Me too.” chimed in Alex.

                “Here, you can look at the pictures on my camera.”

                “Okay.” Sarah took the camera from her older sister. Libby hoped that this would occupy her for a while. After all, she had taken a ton of pictures off their vacation.

                “Uhhh, Libby? Technical difficulties. How do you turn it on?”

                “Push the “on” button.”

                “Where’s the “on” button?”

                “On the top.”

                “Which end is the top?”

“Boy, you really are tired. The big silver button is the “on” button and that’s the top. There. Now all you have to do is push this button to change to picture.” Suddenly her phone buzzed again, and then again.

Nick ~ Food! Glorious Food! Hot Sausage and mustard!

Libby decided to ignore this text and instead read the one from her mother.

Mom ~ Look at Uncle Peter and Dad. These men need food!

Libby ~ lol Dad looks like he’s getting grumpy and Uncle Peter looks impatient.

Mom ~ Yeah, I know. I hope they seat us soon.

                “How many pictures did you take of your feet?!?” Sarah asked incredulously. “There’s a ton of pictures of nothing but your feet!”

                “Well, everytime we were waiting in line I would take pictures of my feet.”

                “Oh good grief.”

                “Hey, I think I have a cool pair of shoes.” Libby’s phone buzzed with another message from Nick.

Nick ~ And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents – your dinner!

                “Ooooh, Nick…” Buzzz! Libby’s phone went off again as it received another message from Nick.

Nick ~ Animal crackers in my soup. Monkeys and lions, loop-de-loop.

                “Nick must be getting hungry. He’s resorting to Shirley Temple songs!”

                “Hmuh?” said Alex. Libby’s exclamation had woken him up. “Libby, I’m starving! When are we going to eat?”

                “I don’t kno- Hold on; I got another text from Nick.”

Nick ~ Someone’s in the kitchen with Dina. Someone’s in the kitchen I knoooooow. Someone’s in the kitchen with Dina! And I hope they’re making pizza dough!

                Libby looked across the room and made eye contact with her older brother.

                “I’m hungry!” he mouthed. Libby just rolled her eyes and turned to Alex.

                “Liiiiiiiibbbbbyyy! I’m huuuungry! If I don’t eat something soon, I’m gonna die!”

                “You aren’t going to die. Nick might if he doesn’t stop sending me song lyrics about food.” She said sarcastically.

                “Liiiibby…” Alex whined.

                “Alright, alright stop whining. I’m sure that if they don’t seat us soon Aunt Lorraine will go ask what happened. Alex, where are you going?”

                “If no one is going to stop this injustice, I will!” the little boy said heroically and, it must be admitted, melodramatically.  Libby watched Alex as he walked to the front desk and got in line behind another customer. When the waitress finished with the man in front of him Alex peered over the edge of the desk.

                “Excuse me, ma’am?” he said politely. The waitress looked surprised at being addressed by such a small person in such a gentlemanlike manner.

                “Yes? Can I help you?”

                “I don’t want to be rude, but please! I’m really very hungry, and we’ve been sitting here for such a long time! Can my family and I please be seated?” As pathetic as he looked, Libby was not fooled. She knew that her little brother knew how to work the charm and innocence. However, the waitress did not know this.

                “Oh! Oh, you poor thing. What name is your party under?” she asked as she checked the reservation list.

                “Lorraine Faccenda.”

                “Oh my. You have been waiting a long time. Far too long. I’m so sorry for the delay. We have a table that just cleared. Please come this way. “

                “Thank you,” he said, putting his small hand over hers. “Thank you so much.” He smiled at her in his winning way. She patted his head and gathered a stack of menus. The family watched as Alex casually put his hands in his pockets and sauntered off behind the waitress. He stopped and turned around to look at them.

                “Are you guys coming?” he asked.

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