Re: Zephyr

“You heard the lady!” said Tony, “Zuppa Giovanni for three! Hurry back with those bags!” The waiter retreated. “Good choice of soup with steak!” He unbuttoned his suit jacket and loosened his tie. He lifted the toolbox onto a chair next to Jennifer and put his hands under the table. Mike was across the table in an instant and they lifted it and carried it around behind Jennifer. “Miss?”
“Jennifer.”
Tony smiled, hanging his coat over a chair. “Jennifer. Please dig out the large safety knife. Dinner will be about twenty minutes.” As she pulled out the knife, the waiter came scurrying in with a cloth toolbag and a black vinyl camera bag. Mike took the camera bag and motioned the waiter to Tony. “Okay, order in?”
“Yes sir. The mayor wants to know if you’re available. Charlie wants to know if we should open a fifth dining room. Jacques said we need to double our chicken, chocolate, and spice orders this week and wants you to come along on the market run in the morning. Something about a vendor who wants to meet you personally.”
Tony looked around, annoyed, holding the knife switched open. “Put those screens around this area from the lady’s chair to that wall.” He looked up to see Mike had put two screens up already. “No, we’ll do that. Bring me a whole box of finger wipes, a package of bleach wipes, a box of garbage bags, a box of deodorizers, two empty mop buckets, and two butcher aprons. A rubber mat–one of the ones Jacques isn’t using. A plastic placemat. One of the big ugly ones from the back of the storeroom. Jacques thinks we need that much CHICKEN? Tell Jacques ‘we’ll see,’ tell Charlie ‘yes, limited menu if Jacques is willing,’ and tell the mayor ‘probably not.’ I owe my distant cousin here a favor, and I’d like to handle it tonight–just call it a family matter. It’ll make him laugh. Don’t disturb us except to bring the meal–help Charlie instead. Capishe?”