A Woman’s Work: Street Chronicles by Nikki Turner Read Free Book Online Page B

the rice and peas and gravy is to die for.”
    “Is that right?” Amanda replied with a look on her face that assured me that she knew I was lying my ass off. “So that’s one order of rice and peas with gravy and a glass of water with no ice? Would you like some lemon with your water?”
    “Yes,” I replied, feeling extremely embarrassed about my situation. I felt lower than the belly of a pregnant worm.
    I sat at the table for about ten minutes stressing over my situation and was about to just swallow my pride and walk out when Amanda returned with my order. She had placed my plate on the table and started to walk away when I noticed that she had messed up big-time.
    “Umm, excuse me, Amanda,” I softly called out. “This isn’t what I ordered. Remember I ordered …”
    “You ordered the rice and peas with gravy,” she interjected. “There’s rice and peas with gravy on your plate.”
    “Yes, but there’s also fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, and collard greens on there. Plus, I ordered water and this looks like iced tea.” How could someone fuck up an order so simple? If she thinks she’s going to trick me into eating this shit and then being stuck with the bill, she had another think coming.
    “Look, sweetie, I’ve been working here long enough to know that no one orders off the side menu
alone
unless they can’t afford what they really want. Try that chicken. It’s very popular here.”
    “But Amanda, I can’t afford any of this,” I replied with tears in my eyes. “I barely have money for the rice and peas and water.”
    “I figured that much. Don’t worry about the bill. I got you covered. Eat up. It’s on the house.” She winked and walked over to another table as I sat speechless and utterly thankful. I hadn’t eaten in almost two days, and I didn’t know where to dig in first. If I’d had the power to stuff the entire plate into my mouth, believe me, I would have. Amanda just didn’t know what she’d done for me tonight. She was truly a lifesaver.
    What should have taken me thirty minutes to eat I consumed in less than fifteen. I even chewed the chicken bones until they were damn near nonexistent.
    Amanda walked back over with a form and a pen and said, “Here, fill this out and give it back to me when you’re done.”
    “What’s this?” I asked, feeling very leery about signing anything. Signing shit without reading it is what got me in this predicament in the first place.
    “One of our waitresses quit today and we’re short staffed. If you’re looking for a job, fill this out. I’ve got pull in here, and can get you working as early as tomorrow evening.”
    I couldn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth. I’ve heard of being in the right place at the right time, and I know that God works in mysterious ways, but this was unbelievable. Finding a job had never even crossed my mind but it made perfect sense. I was incredibly appreciative of all Amanda’s help, but I couldn’t help but wonder why she was so caring and supportive to a perfect stranger. And most important, how does she know my situation so well?
    “Not that I’m being ungrateful for what you’ve done for me,because I’m truly thankful, but why are you helping me so much when you don’t know me?”
    Amanda quickly looked around, took a seat at my table, and began to explain. “I’m being so nice to you because I was in your place about two years ago when I moved here to pursue my modeling career. I see a lot of people come through these doors with hopes, dreams, and no money. Shit, girl, I was living out of my car for three month before I got this job. I know the state of mind I was in and wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy, so I try to offer people the help I never got. You look very young, and Atlanta could chew you into a million pieces and swallow you if you’re not grounded. I don’t know what your motivation is for being out here, but take my advice, always put reality before