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“Hmmm?”
“We better win,” she said.
The Mayor went on, “In third place today is Greasy Tony’s.”
The crowd applauded. There was some commotion and fanfare. Then the owner of Greasy Tony’s, a gangly looking fellow with a graying pony tail and thick glasses, made his way to the stage to accept his ribbon.
Meanwhile, Ant stood and watched. She was still there, in the crowd. She had moved a bit, which was probably why Romeo had lost sight of her, but she was still there.
She watched the guy from Greasy Tony’s make his way up the ramp and pass Patrick on his way to the Mayor. As she did she saw Patrick was looking at her. Not just that, but when he saw that she saw that he was looking at her, he winked.
Seriously? Did he just wink at me? She looked behind her to see if maybe there was someone else there. Nope. He was winking at her. What a cheeseball…
Of course, he wasn’t the first guy to ever wink at her. Ant was beautiful and smart and fierce and had plenty of guys interested in her over the years. Problem was, most of them turned out to be just so… disappointing.
It happened more often than you’d think. The winking thing. Not that it was generally a big deal. A pretty girl gets used to things like that. Even if she shouldn’t have to. But this, this was different. It was out of place. It was disconcerting. It was borderline inappropriate and truth be told, a little depressing. This was the Mayor’s right hand man?
Ant eased off a few steps and stood in front of one of the stands that was still open and selling, turning her back to the stage.
“In second place,” continued the Mayor,
“Monty’s Cheesesteaks.”
“What?!”
“Hey… Second place.”
“That’s it?!” complained Mrs Monty.
“It’s okay,” said Monty as he headed up toward the stage.
Across the crowd Mrs Cap perked up. “That means we won doesn’t it?”
“Shhhhh…” was all Cap said in return.
There was more commotion and fanfare, and as Monty made his way up the stage, Ant turned and clapped politely for him. Then she found her parents in the crowd and smiled at their good fortune.
She wasn’t really concerned with the contest. But she was paying enough attention to know that if Monty’s took second that meant that Cap’s probably won and her parents were going to be plenty happy. Good for them, she thought.
Then she went back to what was really on her mind at the moment. What was really on her mind was the fact that fate had a really funky sense of humor. Why is it, she wondered, that the guy that just curled my toes with one little smile is gone and this meatball Patrick is giving me the winking, big eye?
“Figures…” she said out loud, to no one in particular.
Then she turned her attention to the tchotchkes for sale in front of her. Sandstone coasters, lavender candles, cutesy stained glass doo dads with suction cups. The kind you’d hang on your kitchen window to color up the room.
She touched one. It showed an empty row boat on a lake at sunset. It’s depth of orange, red and yellow echoed the evening’s setting sun.
Her reverie was broken as the Mayor continued his presentation. “And first place today in the cheesesteak contest, the joint that not only gets to make lunch for all our boys and girls this year, but also gets to cater my upcoming birthday bash is…. Cap’s. ”
Mrs Cap screamed with delight and threw up her hands. Cap practically ran onto the stage, bounding through the crowd and up the ramp. He quickly arrived next to the Mayor, turned to the audience, threw up his hands and shouted “Booyah!”
Then he danced around a little, shook everyone’s hand making sure to give a little extra attention to Patrick - a double pump handshake with a forearm squeeze accompanied by a silently mouthed thank you. Finally, he gave the Mayor a chance to speak again.
“Congratulations!” said the Mayor. “On behalf of everyone here I’d like to congratulate you and present you with this trophy. It was a golden statue, about a foot and a half tall, of a man in an apron victoriously holding up a golden cheesesteak.
“Thank you. Thank you Mr Mayor,” said Cap as he took the statue. He grinned broadly as he wrapped his meaty hand around it and studied it closely. “Thank you very much.”
“Yes, well, you deserve it. Cap’s, like all of the establishments that participated in today’s events are an integral part of the fabric of our community. And we’re very proud of all of you. Isn’t that right?” he asked the crowd.
