Although the magic of a small town diner is rarely observed in modern life,that doesn’t necessarily mean that it no longer exists. Many people have never been able to experience the love that can be sparked in a corner booth, eating burgers with milkshakes. But if you ask anyone who has, they’d swear they’ve never been able to find a place quite like it. 

Diners like these can turn a stone-hearted man into a loving father with just one interaction. But in less extreme cases, sometimes it just sparks a teen romance. 

In this specific diner, a young man worked to help provide for his family, and save up for college. He spent his afternoons and weekends bussing tables in order to help his parents keep food on the table for his five younger siblings. It wasn’t a glamorous job, but the hours worked with his school schedule and the tips were good enough. Marjorie’s Diner was the most popular diner in the small town of Waxon,Georgia. It was loved by everyone from high schoolers to senior citizens who ate there back when Marjorie herself was still around. And it was this diner that Jackie Solace found herself in on this fine Friday evening. 

Jackie was seated in the corner booth sipping on a near empty chocolate milkshake and working on a college application. Thankfully, all she had to do was finish her personal essay, and she could be done with schoolwork for the weekend. With a small cheer, she reviewed the work once more and closed her laptop. She sat at the booth and enjoyed the rest of her milkshake scrolling on her phone.

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Matteo was working another Friday night shift instead of doing literally anything entertaining. It wasn’t a bad job or anything, but after months of spending all his free time working as a waiter it became rather monotone. Take orders. Give order slips to the chefs. Bring orders to the customers. Get yelled at for wrong orders even though that’s exactly what they ordered. Be polite. Repeat. 

This evening shift began with a beautiful first order where he got yelled at for no reason. This was the current highlight of the shift. All he wanted was to go home. And he only had two hours left in his shift before the night shift took over. Matteo’s next table was one he had been dreading since he saw the door open. Mrs. Richards was an old widow who frequented the diner. She always ordered a chocolate milkshake, then hollered about something being wrong with it. It was always too hot or too cold, too much whipped cream or not enough whipped cream. The woman was never satisfied. He threw a smile on his face and walked over to her booth. 

“Good evening, Mrs. Richards. May I take your order?” he asked in a polite voice. 

“I want the same thing I always want. And I want you to do it properly this time. I’m tired of always having to send it back, and I wouldn’t have to if you would just do your job properly,” the old woman huffed. 

“One chocolate milkshake on its way.”

As soon as he pushed through the kitchen doors the smile dropped off his face. 

“I need a chocolate milkshake. And it’s for the old wack so just know that.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” the cook said with a laugh, handing him a cup. 

He smiled and pushed back into the dining area, walking towards Mrs. Richards table. As he walked, his mind drifted to what he would give to not be working, and to be a teen just eating at the diner. He saw a girl sitting in a booth just scrolling on her phone, and in that moment, he would have given anything to be like her. She seemed happy and carefree. 

“-didn’t order any more food-“ 

She looked pretty, with shoulder length brown curls, and soft green eyes. But the prettiest thing about her was the smile on her face. 

“-stop staring at me?”

He only snapped out of his trance when he realized her smile had faded into a look of unease. 

Unable to find the words to reply to the half-question he had heard, he stood staring at her with an open mouth. 

Her expression slowly turned more defensive, and she up and grabbed the milkshake he was holding and dumped it on his head. 

“What the heck dude?” Matteo shouted as the cold slush dripping down his shirt. 

“Um, you stood there and stared at me for like two minutes straight without so much a s blinking, like a freaking creep. I’m just trying to enjoy myself and you ruined my day. Thanks a lot wacko.” The girl turned and stormed out of the diner, barely pausing to grab her laptop. 

And to top it all off, Mrs. Richards started yelling at him about her milkshake, which was dripping down into his pants at this point. Uncomfortable and cold, Matteo walked into the kitchen grabbed his stuff and left for the day.