AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She took a deep breath and kept on.
“There it is. The Moondance diner.”
“Oh my goodness.” There was something improbable about the place: it was a tiny, railroad-car-style diner that had been plunked down on the corner decades ago and topped with a fanciful sign that was larger than it was.
A huge crescent moon, the color of cheddar cheese, revolved over the bottom part of the sign. The blue letters that spelled out Moondance were outlined with metal sequins that shone brightly under the street lamps. Next to that was a giant blue coffee cup with stars rising from it instead of steam. The crescent moon motif was repeated on the little windows, and a warm glow came from inside. Despite the snow—or maybe because of it—there were quite a few customers.
“Molly would love this place,” Bridget said. “It doesn’t look all that real.”
“It is though,” Jonas said. “Brrr. I’m freezing. Let’s go in.”
She stood on the sidewalk, resisting the pull of his hand, admiring the funny little diner for a few more seconds.
“Come on,” he coaxed. “Before they knock it down and build a condo tower in its place.”
“I hope not,” she said, laughing.
They were shown to a table by an ancient waiter, who handed them rather grubby menus and left them to make up their minds.
“Not exactly five-star food,” he whispered. “But you’re pretty safe with a burger.”
She ordered one and so did he, with Cokes and fries. When they’d eaten and Jonas eased out from behind the table to pay the bill at the cash register, she noticed the old-timer who had been sitting at the table behind theirs. He smiled at her in a friendly way, dawdling over a cup of coffee and a piece of pie.
The diner was so small that they could talk to each other without having to speak loudly. And he looked old enough to have been a customer when the place was new. He might know something about it. Bridget figured she’d ask. “Cool place, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is,” he replied. “Always has been.”
“Have you been coming here a long time?”
The old man nodded. “Since I don’t know when.”
“Could I ask you a few questions?”
“Go ahead.”
Jonas had returned and he seemed amused by her interest. He stood by her and waited for the other man to reply.
“Would you happen to know who made that sign? An artist? It’s really unusual.”
“Now let me think.” He took a bite of pie and chewed thoughtfully, as if nourishment would help him remember. “He was a young fella. Ingenious. That’s a complicated sign, what with that revolving moon. It’s been in a few movies and television shows.” He sighed. “But he put it together more’n twenty years ago. He wasn’t from around here, I don’t think.”
“Oh,” Bridget said eagerly. “I wonder where he was from.”
The old man blinked. “You need a sign made that bad?”
“Well, no. But it would be fun to talk to him.”
Jonas shook his head and smiled.
The old man was still mulling it over. “He could have been from upstate New York. I’m not sure. Where are you from?”
“Vermont.”
He nodded. “Well, maybe the sign guy was from there,” he said diplomatically.
Jonas picked up her coat and held it out. “It’s snowing harder. We should get going.”
She stood and slipped her arms into the sleeves. “Thanks so much,” she said to the old man. At the rate he was going, the piece of pie would be finished by sometime tomorrow.
