Red Lobster in Some Town

I could feel her looking at me. You know the feeling. When you're not even looking, but you don't need to, because you know someone is staring right at you. I looked over the partition, separating my  booth from theirs. Yes, I was alone and she had a companion. She quickly looked away, trying to appear nonchalant. She was so transparent. I turned back to my meal and continued eating while her stare bored into me once again. I looked over, she looked away barely in time to avoid eye contact. We repeated this visual cat-and-mouse several times. Did she think I didn't notice her? She was either uncouth or dumb, because next I heard her dogging my meal choice to her companion. I'm not sure if she didn't realize I could hear, or if she just didn't care. I was alone and there was no talking at my table. Maybe it gave her a false sense of insulation.

"Uh, there's so much work." Her hands were flailing as she spoke. "Pulling and cracking and working. I don't know how people order..." She was talking about my crab legs. So fucking rude. Did she not realize I could hear her? I wiped my hands and my face with the napkin from my lap, and I stood up, looking in her direction. I waited for her to look back. And when she did, this time I looked right at her instead of turning away uncomfortably...

You want to know why I ordered them? Maybe it's because Red Lobster sucks and I'm only here because the only other choices in this shit town are fast food. Maybe it's because fried popcorn shrimp and dishes that all have "feast" in their names are not my idea of an enjoyable meal. Maybe a meal that's an activity is a way to kill a little time during a lonely dinner on the road. Maybe ordering crab legs was the only way I could keep myself from inhaling the unnecessary basket of four cheddar biscuits brought to my table for one. Maybe, just maybe, things worth having are worth working for.

I snickered to myself as I placed the napkin on the table and walked to the restroom to wash up. I glanced back at her thinking, "If only."