Page 41 of Baby Girl

Everyone nodded, except for the guy in the wife beater. He was clearly the largest one of the group, and was about six foot two, and probably 200 pounds. He was no match for Teddy, but was clearly under the false impression that he was the biggest and toughest one at the table.

“Who the fuck are you?” The guy wearing the wife beater asked Teddy.

“I already told you, you disrespectful little prick. Now we can do this one of two ways. Either I’m just going to start beating on you until the cops come - or your boys here get me off of you, or you can shut the fuck up and listen to what I have to say. Which one you want?” Teddy asked, still sitting down on his stool, focused on the guy standing up. No one responded.

At this point, the entire patio was paying attention to the table where Teddy sat. People were walking across the patio to enter the bar, and there was the other table of older gentlemen eating, who were also watching. All eyes were on Teddy. Heather stood beside me with her mouth open, watching as if she were in shock.

“Okay, listen, this is simple. That girl over there standing behind me is a waitress here. She needs to be treated with respect. Always. It don’t matter where you little fucktards are, if you have a waitress, you need to always treat her no differently than you’d treat a waitress if you were at dinner with your mother. Remember that. The place where you’re eating or who’s waiting on you doesn’t change how you treat a waitress. She’s a woman, and she’s a human being, treat her like it. Now, which one of you made the titty remark?” Teddy asked as he looked at each individual at the table.

Everyone at the table looked toward the guy wearing the wife beater. Still standing, he looked down at Teddy, and responded.

“I was, I mean I did,” he said.

“Tell me that isn’t going to happen again, here or anywhere else,” Teddy demanded.

“It won’t,” he responded.

“Okay, now. I ain’t looking to embarrass you anymore than you already are. So I ain’t gonna make you walk over there in front of all of these people. But, look over at her direction, and tell her you’re sorry,” Teddy said as he turned to look at Heather.

The guy in the wife beater stood erect, looked directly at Heather, and spoke quietly, “I’m sorry,” he mouthed in her direction.

Heather continued to stand beside me, mouth agape, clearly amazed at what was happening. I put my arm around her to comfort her. She leaned into my shoulder as I placed my arm around her.

“Well, that ought to do it. Again, so there’s no confusion, I’m Teddy. That’s Doc. Well, to you guy’s, he’s Erik,” Teddy said, pointing in my direction.

I nodded. They all nodded back in my direction. One waved.

Teddy stood up, grabbed the bar stool, and as he walked away, said, “Nice talking to you fellas.”

As he walked back toward our table, Teddy placed the barstool at the table he had taken it from. As he approached our table, Heather broke my grasp, and walked toward Teddy, arms open. Teddy turned and looked at her as she hugged him. He hugged her back and whispered something in her ear.

“That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” she said, smiling from ear to ear.

“Being disrespectful to women is something Doc and I won’t stand for,” he responded, as he took a drink of his beer.

“Well, that was nice. And it was hot. You still want my number?” she asked.

“Well, hell yes. We gotta go on that ride, remember?”

Heather pulled a pen from her apron. As she pulled out the pen, she grabbed Teddy’s wrist, and turned his hand over, palm up. She scribbled her number on the palm of his hand and drew a heart around it. As she was writing, the six gentlemen placed money on the table under a beer mug, and left.

“Thank you for saying I was pretty, for asking me to go on a ride, and for talking to those guys. You’re sweet. Text me. I have to run inside, I have tables in there too. You guys alright?” she asked.

“We’re good, bring us the tab when you come back out,” I said.

“I’m staying,” Teddy said.

“Heather, I’m leaving and Teddy’s staying.” Turning her direction, I continued, “It was a pleasure meeting you.”

“Pleasure meeting you, Erik,” she said as she walked through the door into the bar.

“You staying?” I asked Teddy.

“Yeah, I’m gonna stay here and talk to her for a bit, holler at me later,” Teddy said as he stood.

We embraced in what had become a typical biker hug, patting each other on the back.

“Love ya, brother,” he said.