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Looking at the ancient clock over the hood, I saas just about lunchtirinned, setting the cover down on the cheesesteaks to let the cheese get nice and gooey, wipeddoors

I i at the counter, hersoda isn’t illegal That’s just silly, Daddy," she argued, giving Leo one helluva a sideways glance

I leaned against the doorframe and s it down between the fro sure everyone had what they needed

And a flash forward suddenly struck me--or maybe just a daydreahtly older Polly helping um and took an order froazed out at the scene before me: happy people, in a happy town All the hap-hap-happy--could it be real? Could this be real for me?

Just then Leo noticed me, and as always, his eyes traveled over ave rinned instantly Maybe this could be real I waded into the argurin

"Pork Chop, you can’t have soda White milk or apple juice are your choices Take it or leave it," Leo said, in a firm voice

"Grandmother, please," she whined

Grandwhat? I stopped so fast I left skid h, there sat Mrs Maxwell And she looked so profoundly out of place I had no idea how I hadn’t seen her

Maybe I was distracted by the little fa Polly on the farlow in the h hers were the color of money and power

She was dressed sharply in cream colored trousers that were tailored within an inch of their life, and I silently applauded her for having the balls to wear them into a place that served chili seven days a week The crisply pressed navy blouse was capped off with pearls that probably cost what I’d paid for culinary school Orabout the rice pudding that had splotched onto my capris earlier Not to mention the smear of cranberry onher napkin over her deniirl I was telling you about She rilled cheese with fawnteeni cheese and apples and rye bread with these weird little sticks in it It is soooooooo good!"

"It’s a pleasure to meet you Roxie, is it?" she asked coolly