Front of the House

Look at him working. The way he smiles at every customer. He’s impeccable. But when he goes to his room at the back, at the side of the kitchen, the smile is gone. He sips clear liquor from a teacup, mutters under his breath, and watches everything through the round glass in the top of the door. When he sees a new customer, he’s out to greet them, bounding over, showing them to a table. Then, as he bows slightly, backing away, he gestures to a waiter to bring menus, water. He returns to his room, sits down, stares through the glass, sips at the liquor. No one would ever guess. He seems impeccable.

8 responses to “Front of the House”

  1. Deborah Zinn Avatar
    Deborah Zinn

    From ‘is’ to ‘seems’ — nice transition. Good food for thought.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks for reading, as always, Deb.

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  2. mmmccaffrey Avatar
    mmmccaffrey

    Very apt for these time, Barry. Sending it off?

    Liked by 1 person

    1. I hadn’t planned to send it anywhere, but I could. Any suggestions?

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      1. mmmccaffrey Avatar
        mmmccaffrey

        There is a flash fiction I saw on Emerging Writers’ site. Local to Australia. I’ll send.

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        1. Thanks, Margaret.

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  3. Helen McDonald Avatar
    Helen McDonald

    Intriguing Barry. I wonder who he is really?

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    1. I wonder too. How can we find out?

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