Yes Chef, No Chef - By Susan Willis Page 0,34
sorry. Please don’t tell the boss,” Jim had begged.
Tim had floundered not knowing what to do. He liked Jim but couldn’t have a thief working in the kitchen. “But, Jim, I can’t believe you would do such a thing? I mean, were you going to sell the joint of beef?”
Jim had looked down at his scruffy trainers. “Nah, I was going to cook it for me and the kids. It would have been such a treat instead of the usual mince dinners they get…”
Tim had stared at him. “The kids?”
“Yes, I’ve got three under the age of ten. And me and the missus thought we’d be quid’s in when I got this job. We’d built up loads of debt when I was out of work for six months but the week after I started here she was made redundant. So, we’re back to square one again with only one wage coming into the house.”
Tim had felt sorry for him and knew he wouldn’t know where to start with the responsibility for bringing up children. And, he also knew if Jack heard about it he’d chuck him out onto the street.
He couldn’t bear having that on his conscience. “OK,” he’d said and taking a knife he’d cut a big slab of the joint. “I won’t say anything to Jack but it stops right now. Here, take this piece of beef and cook it for the kids,” he’d said handing him the slab. “You can have a second chance, but if I find out there is anything more going out that back door…”
Jim had practically crumbled in relief. “Aah, thanks, Tim. You won’t regret it. I won’t let you down again.”
Tim shook his head slowly now still in disbelief. But, as Jack had so kindly just told him he’d been stupid to fall for the sob story because on Saturday night at nine o’clock, when he intended to leave and run up to the Savoy to see Kate, Jim had been caught taking money from the till by one of the waiters. Jack’s face had been purple with rage and when Jim stupidly told him that he’d already had a warning about thieving from the kitchen his face had turned almost black and a vein in the side of his neck pulsated with temper. The police had been called and Tim thought Jack would finish him too but later when he’d explained the story he was given a three month warning. Jack told him if the restaurant sales didn’t increase and he made one more mistake he’d be out on his arse too.
Tim heard the noise from the kitchen intensify and looking at the clock he went out to check everything was in readiness for the lunch time meals. Steam billowed from pans of vegetables on the hob and Simon was stirring two sauces at the same time while Jessie was showing two agency staff the mechanical workings of the old dishwasher. He heard her burst out laughing when the youngest asked what time their coffee break would be and if there would be any biscuits to go with the coffee. Simon teased them both with the fact that the management only supplied plain digestive biscuits and if they wanted to go to the lengths of a bourbon or a custard cream they’d have to buy their own.
He sighed but shook his head good humouredly at Simon who grinned back at him.
“Penny for them?” Jessie asked when he walked towards her bench and smiled at her. “Are you still feeling rough? Do you want some tablets now?”
“Nah, I’m OK,” he said lingering. “It’s just; well I still can’t believe Jim would do that? Especially when I’d given him a second chance because of the kids. It must be horrible to have no money and be responsible for feeding your family.”
Jessie laughed good-naturedly at him. “Kids? He hasn’t got any he’s not even married. He was just a greedy little tyke,” she said. “But look, don’t torture yourself everybody makes mistakes…”
Tim could feel the flush of embarrassment rise up from his neck and into his cheeks. Feeling like the world’s worst idiot he slunk off back to the office and took the photograph back out of the drawer. He stared hard at Kate’s smiling face and ached for the comfort of her soft warm body – if only he could pull her out of the photograph and cuddle her. His dad had told him on Sunday that she was the best thing that