Saturday, April 9

11:30 pm
Kitchen

Waiting on Cate.  Again.  Why do women take so damned long to get ready?  She doesn't even have that much stuff in her closet out here in the Jersey house.  She's wearing jeans and a henley, for Christ's sake.  Come on, Woman!  Brush your teeth, throw on a hat and let's GO!

Going out to grab lunch and run a few errands, then heading over to the Kitchen.  Working the dinner shift tonight.  Steph and Jesse are coming out after their school thing today, will meet us there around 4 pm.

Steph texted me this morning and asked if she could bring Brendan and some friend of hers named Bridget.  And if they could both stay overnight here with her and Jess.  Brendan volunteered to drive everybody out and I guess he could drive Bridget back into the City, but Steph said she thought it would be better if everybody stayed here since it will be late when we close up the Kitchen.

At first read that seemed to be a very responsible observation and plan; the idea of an 18-year-old driving into Manhattan on a Saturday Night ain't exactly a good idea, in my mind.  But when I thought about it a little I realized that means my daughter and her boyfriend are both sleeping under my roof tonight.

Good thing we have lots of bedrooms in this house.  Brendan will be bunking in the one furthest away from Steph.  And I may just swing by the hardware store and pick up an extra lock to install on that door.  So it locks from the outside.

Or I might make him sleep in the Inn.

Cate just rolled her eyes and chuckled when I told her my suspicions.  She told me not to quit my day job; leave the detective work to her.

I guess she's right.  I think Brendan understands me.  He probably won't try any hanky-panky with my daughter in my own house.  Besides, she's bringing this girlfriend of hers too.  They'll probably be up all night doing the giggly girl sleepover thing anyway.  And Brendan can hang with Jess to escape the girly stuff.

So I called Steph and told her that was fine if her friends come out and stay over, as long as it's okay with their folks.  She said she'd take care of it.  Five minutes later I got a text that said  "All Systems Go!!! Thank you Daddy!!!"

My Funny Girl.

It will be nice to have her here.  I don't get to spend much time with my Little Cuckoo these days -- she's so busy with school and her own life.  Soon it will be even less when she goes off to college.  But I'm glad we can all at least volunteer together.  It's not as good as spending time with her one-on-one, but it's a good deed and something we can share.  And Steph really shines when she's there, talking to people and waiting tables.  Her smile is just beautiful.

She makes me so proud.

FINALLY -- I hear my Wife rummaging around in the hall closet.  Time to hit the road, Jack.


11:05 pm
Kitchen

Home again, with a houseful of teenagers.  Wide-awake, hungry teenagers.

Holy shit, and I thought it was chaotic after a show.  How the hell are these kids still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed?  They've been up since 7 am and we just spent 6 hours hustling around a busy restaurant, for Christ's sake.  Must be nice to be young.

Tonight was a lot of fun, having the kids at the Kitchen with us.  Steph's friend Bridget is quite a charming little red-haired Irish lass, and she and Steph were the Hostesses with the Mostest, ha ha.  Seriously, they made so many people smile tonight.  It warmed my heart.  Bridget said she really enjoyed herself and she'd like to come back and help out again.  I told her she's welcome anytime.  Good kid, that one.

Brendan and I pulled dish duty again, and we had Jess bussing tables.  I was planning to do a little of that myself but I didn't want to cause a scene.  The only downside of my involvement with this endeavor is now that word has gotten out there are more than a few guests at our little restaurant who are clearly fans hoping they'll get to sneak a peek at the Rock Star with dishpan hands.  Or at my family.

Tonight there were a couple tables of women who were pretty obvious about their motives for being there.   So I just stayed out of sight in the back and made sure Steph wasn't their server.

That pisses me off, because that's not what this restaurant is about.  It's about providing a place for families to share a meal with some dignity, where people can help out others in our community.  Every table that's taken up by starry-eyed fans takes away a reservation from a struggling family.

But Cate reminded me that even though there probably are a few people who are selfish enough to show up just to stalk me, a) they're paying for their meals, which puts food on the table for somebody else, b) some of my biggest fans may be the very people we're trying to help, those who have fallen on hard times and who are truly thankful for the opportunity to have a night out with their families, and c) despite my egomaniacal ideas to the contrary, not everybody who is a Fan shows up just to see me.  Some of them genuinely do want to support our work, to help in some small way, even if it's paying a little extra for a nice meal.  Seeing me is just a bonus.

As usual, she's right.   But in her usual cynical-Cop manner my charming Wife also added that "some people are just jerks" and that our little restaurant isn't asshole-proof, ha ha.  But when you say "all are welcome" you have to mean it.  And I do.

Anyway, nice evening doing good deeds, now we're home.  The kids want to go out to the Shoe Inn and play pool and video games.  I'm not wild about that idea--Steph and Brendan out there without me to keep an eye on things?  Nope.  I suggested we all stay up here at the main house and play Monopoly in the kitchen, but that went over like a fart in church.  Even Cate rolled her eyes.

What?  Monopoly is a classic!  Boardwalk -- Park Place -- Hell, it's Atlantic City, Baby!

So the Old Guy was overruled.  Instead we're gonna watch a movie and have popcorn.  The kids picked out a comedy from On Demand called Grown Ups.  Looks pretty funny -- Sandler, Rock, Spade, Kevin James... and Maria Bello and Salma Hayak.  Yep, think that movie will have a little somethin' for everyone, heh heh.

Think I'll position myself right in the middle of the couch between Steph and Brendan.   Steph can share my popcorn.  Brendan can have his own.

Okay, Cate just shot that idea down.  She told me to get over the fact that Steph has a boyfriend.  And that yes, they probably will sit close together on the couch and hold hands and maybe even kiss.

Shut up, Cate.  And that better be all they do, Goddammit.

I've been informed by Her Royal Highness the Queen of the Castle that I must stop writing now and get off my ass and carry the popcorn and drinks into the living room.  Like I didn't just spend hours on my feet serving others.  Jeez.

She threw popcorn at me.

I'll get you for that, Evil Minx.  Later, when you least expect it.