The Extra by Kenneth Rosenberg Page B

considered how to answer this one.  In the end he decided to say nothing at all.  At least for the time being.  “Where should we eat?” he asked instead.
    “This place looks like it was made for you,” she answered.  They stood in front of an old 50’s diner, with a bright red neon sign reading “Mel’s Drive In.”  Through the window they saw clean white tables trimmed in gleaming chrome, with black chairs and red vinyl booths.  Waitresses in red and white cotton dresses moved past with trays of burgers, shakes and fries.  Warren pulled the door open.  He remembered the last time he’d attempted to patronize a restaurant, but this was different.  He was better dressed and in good company.  Nobody here could tell he was homeless.  He breathed in deeply.  Everything was ok.  A young hostess showed them to a table.
    As she slid into their booth, Bridget was enjoying herself already.  She smiled warmly when the hostess handed her a menu.  Just being out in public at all was a huge improvement over her typical nights at home, eating dinner all alone.  Besides that, she had a lot of questions for Warren August.  Maybe she’d finally get some answers.  Bridget had a history of speaking her mind.  Sometimes she just couldn’t help it, though she knew she should approach this situation with caution, especially after the way things had gone the previous night.  Driving Warren away was the last thing she wanted to do.  “What should we order?” she asked, looking up from her menu eagerly.
    “I don’t know.  I’m not used to having a choice,” said Warren.  He read through his options.  There was a long list of burgers; the Mel Burger, Sunset Burger, bacon, avocado or veggie burgers.  There was a tuna melt, French dip, smoked ham and cheese.  Steaks, chicken, or Mile High Meatloaf.  It was all a little overwhelming. 
    After a few minutes, a waitress appeared with a pad of paper in her hand.  “Are you ready to order or do you need some time?” she asked.
    “I’ll have a Sunset burger, please, with fries.  And a chocolate shake,” said Bridget.
    “Make that two, thanks,” said Warren.
    “You got it.”  The waitress took their menus and moved on.
    “I’ll bet this place is a lot better than the usual slop,” said Bridget.
    “The usual slop is better than nothing.  Most of the time,” he answered. 
    “I wonder” said Bridget, considering what a life of hunger must be like.
    “Have you ever gone with nothing?”
    “Me?  No way.  It may not look like it, but you’re looking at a girl who can eat.”
    “I guess we’re in the right place, then.”  Warren surveyed the people who sat at the tables around them; a family with two young kids playing with their food; a middle-aged couple on a date; a group of young people crammed into a booth on the other side of the room, making as much noise as they could and reveling in their freedom. 
    Bridget followed his gaze across the room.  “Don’t you sometimes feel like everyone else in the world is having all the fun?” she asked.
    “Not tonight,” Warren said, but then he felt a rush of embarrassment at this admission. 
    Bridget didn’t seem to mind.  She smiled in return, enjoying herself as well.  “So what do you think of the actors’ life so far?” she asked.
    Warren rubbed his hands together.  “I’m still trying to wrap my head around it all.  At first it was just a game.  You know, like I was getting away with something.  Every time I got to eat lunch I felt like I was putting one over on them.”
    “And now?”  
    “It feels like they’re expecting an awful lot.”
    “But they’re offering you a great opportunity in return.”
    “Yeah, I know…”  Warren looked at her with doubt in his eyes.
    “So what’s the problem?”
    “I guess I’ve learned not to trust things that sound too good to be true.”
    “Maybe it is true.”
    “I’d like to believe that.”
    “You can’t very well