To Hell and Gone by Charles G. West

Author:Charles G. West [West, Charles G.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pinnacle Books
Published: 2023-04-14T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 14

“Good evenin’, young feller,” Clem Hopkins greeted when Cody walked in the door. “This your first time at The Dinin’ Room?”

“Yes, sir. It is,” Cody replied.

“Thought it was. This is a family restaurant, and we like to ask our customers to leave their firearms at home when they eat here.”

“Oh.” Cody looked puzzled. He had left his Henry rifle in the stable with his saddle. “Oh, the six-gun. I forgot I was wearin’ it. I’m sorry.”

He must have seemed sincere, for when he started to leave, Clem said, “You don’t have to leave. If you’ll just let me take that pistol, I’ll stick it right here under this counter, and you can pick it up when you leave. All right?”

“Thank you, sir.” Cody drew the pistol from his holster and handed it to Clem, handle first. “The man at the stable, John Tyler, told me this was the place to eat. I’m glad I don’t have to go back and tell him you wouldn’t let me in.”

Clem laughed. “No, sir. We wouldn’t want that. You walk right in and pick out any table you like and one of the girls will take care of you.”

Cody walked into a large square room with one long table that seated about a dozen people. Only four people were seated and eating, and they weren’t sitting together. He decided on one of the small tables lined up against the walls. With no experience eating in nice restaurants, he preferred not to be in an obvious spot. It was but a few seconds before a young lady came to his table and introduced herself as Amanda.

“Pleased to meet you, ma’am,” he responded, not certain it was the proper thing to do. “My name’s Cody Hunter.”

Her facial expression told him she hadn’t expected his response, and he told himself he was going to have to learn how to behave as a white man.

She smiled at him and said, “Well, I’m pleased to meet you, too. What are you drinking?”

“Ma’am?” he replied, confused.

“What would you like to drink with your supper?”

“Oh. Can I get a cup of coffee?”

“You surely can,” she answered cheerfully. “Do you take anything with it?”

Again, he looked confused. “Supper was what I was thinkin’.”

His reply confused her as well for a moment, then she said, “I meant, do you put any sugar or milk in your coffee?”

“Oh. No, ma’am. I drink it just like it comes outta the pot,” he said.

“Good,” she said, totally convinced the young man must have come from another planet. “I’ll go get you a cup of coffee, and when I get back I’ll help you order your supper. You have your choice of two things tonight”—she pointed to a chalkboard on the wall—“and you can decide which you want. I’ll read you your choices when I get back with the coffee.”

He watched her disappear into the kitchen and was tempted to get up and walk out before she returned, knowing he had come off as a half-wit.

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