something you don’t see every day.”
“No,” Artie laughed, turning to look at Cadbury, his trusted confidant. “No, I suppose it isn’t.”
Artie had left his book facedown on the counter, and he saw CJ’s eyes track to it and a hint of a smile touch his lips.
“The only reason that’s weird,” CJ said, pointing to the book, “is because I used to stock shelves for you.”
“It’s only a little weird,” Artie said. “I remember you writing short stories on your breaks.”
“That’s right, I did.” Then, after a few moments in which neither he nor Artie said anything, CJ asked, “So what do you think? About the book, I mean.”
Artie didn’t answer right away. He looked first at the book, then at CJ, and when he finally did speak, his words were absent of anything but respect.
“It’s very good,” he said. “But it’s different.” In what appeared to be an unconscious reflex, he looked at the scarecrow, and whatever might have passed between them remained their own.
CJ nodded, seeming to understand the backhanded compliment. He appreciated the honest critique coming from someone like Artie, who had known CJ his entire life, and he appreciated as well what Artie had left unsaid.
In the silence that followed, CJ took a long look around the store, and when he returned his attention back to Artie, he asked, “Can you use any help around here?”
Chapter 9
When CJ stepped through the door, Maggie greeted him with a smile, which, after a week of making this his first stop of the day, he was beginning to realize was unusual for Maggie. He also realized that it was probably because he was working at Kaddy’s. CJ guessed the fact that he was helping out at the hardware store earned him a few points in Maggie’s book. It was obvious to CJ that Maggie had a soft spot for Artie—and if he were a wagering man, he would have bet the house that the soft spot went beyond just the generally glad to see him kind. In fact, the only one who didn’t seem to notice was Artie, who seemed oblivious to the talk around town.
CJ slid into a seat at the counter as Maggie placed a cup of coffee in front of him without his having to ask.
The place was buzzing with the breakfast crowd, with almost a dozen tickets hanging on the wire that ran the length of the short-order window. CJ was impressed with Maggie’s efficiency. With only herself, one waitress, and a cook, she seldom made anyone wait more than a few minutes for their meal, and no coffee cup remained low for long. Since making the decision to stay in Adelia for the time being, CJ had made Maggie’s a regular part of his morning routine, fueling up on strong coffee and whatever smelled the best coming off the grill that day.
In Tennessee, while under the watchful eye of his wife, CJ’s breakfast choices had ranged from fruit to anything with a large percentage of bran. On occasion, he could eat a bowl of frosted flakes with impunity. In the short time he’d been in Adelia, and notwithstanding his goal of once again reclaiming his size thirty-four waist, he estimated he’d put on five pounds. But it was a liberating five pounds. In fact, this morning he decided to order the fried eggs and sausage.
As Maggie wrote up his order and clipped it to the wire, CJ heard the jingle of the door opening and turned to see who it was. He was getting better at putting names with faces, and most of Maggie’s customers were regulars, which made it easier. What was especially interesting was seeing some of the guys he went to school with, now aged to look like their fathers, who used to come in here when CJ’s own father frequented it. To hear Maggie tell it, George still stopped by, but only once in a while and rarely for breakfast—and not at all since CJ had made the place his own eatery of choice. For some reason that pleased CJ —the possibility that he’d come between his dad and something he liked to do. Even recognizing how juvenile it was didn’t make him feel bad about it.
CJ’s first few visits had necessitated the expected thawing period, during which the regulars overcame their discontent that a newcomer—even a notable one like CJ —had infiltrated their ranks. But that had faded quickly, especially after Maggie made it a point of showing him a