Saturday's Storyteller: Biscuits & Gravy

Biscuits & Gravy
by Belinda Roddie

It was a staple of Roger's Diner, and something that Maggie always got when she went there for breakfast with Harley. Sure, the French toast was to die for, and the waffles even more "lethal" by comparison. But the biscuits were a comfort to her. She ordered it so much that the servers even added extra lumps of sausage to the gravy as a treat.

"Thank you kindly," she trilled to Bert, the eldest waiter there, who nodded and smiled with the most pristine teeth she had ever seen in anyone's mouth, young or old.

As they ate, Maggie noticed as quiet Harley was, the only distinct sound from her being the way she sawed her French toast into bite-sized pieces. Harley was not much of a conversationalist, but even so, she hadn't said a word since they had entered the establishment. So naturally, Maggie decided to investigate.

"What's up, beautiful?"

Harley said nothing. Maggie swallowed a lump of congealed gravy and carbohydrates. Take two.

"You all right, love?"

Harley said nothing. Maggie dug around her plate for more sausage. The tension was thicker than the butter in the dish between them.

"...Harley, you're scaring me."

"I think I'm going to be a vegetarian, Maggie."

Maggie stared. Behind the counter, Bert was helping Roger Jr., the deceased restaurant founder's son, serve up some juicy burgers.

"And I don't want you eating that in front of me anymore."

Somewhere, the biscuit and gravy gods screamed in anguish.