The Restaurant

Chapter 4

JACK SAVAGE CAME in with Nixon Rack.

When Jack caught sight of Willy– he snarled, “You like what you received earlier?” Jack Savage was referring to the broken nose that Willy had previously.

Willy was taken by surprise, Jack Savage was dark haired, with piercing dark eyes and he was grinning like the devil himself.

Two against one — no, three against one as Tony the Thorn also entered from behind them. Thorn was the skinnier of the three, but a much more skilled fist fighter.

Jack smiled wickedly:

Jack Savage threw the first savage blow, His fist went harmlessly through Willy's body, because the phantom effect of that wrist device —the Enabler was on,

Jack gasped — much surprised, eerily it was like punching a ghost! His hand had gone right through Willy and had came back to him when he pulled back.

Using his mind quickly, Willy quickly thought that the phantom effect should be off, and by quick reflexes he landed a huge blow on Jack knocking him down—

‘Phantom effect on!' Willy’s mind screamed faster than lightning. Seeing that Savage was down, Tony and Nixon all at once — rushed at him, but they went right thru him!

Willy turned lightning fast and turned off the phantom effect just in time, he grabbed both their heads, the heads of Tony and Nixon and banged the pair of heads together, there was a sick– smacking sound as the two skulls collided: All three of his enemies now lay dazed on the floor.

Now, he simply and quietly used his mind to switch back on the phantom effect, the invisible mode was locked on.

His three vanquished enemies lay groaning with pain; They now gasped in utter shock and surprise, when Willy just disappeared right in front of them, into the pure thin air!

Willy went right through the wall and was outside once more.

.  .  .  .  .

Willy Kept ON thinking of Wendy, he would not release the content of the culture tube here.

For the first time he felt hungry, he wondered why he did not feel hungry at all for the whole duration of his stay at the Strange Stress-Harvester place: it was very unusual— While he was with Oswald the Stranger and Andy the Android there at the zone,

Why was he feeling hungry just now – after about two days later? It was quite strange.

‘Willy,' It was Andy's voice in his head. ‘You did not feel hungry because I constantly modulated the energy and fluids in your body, at the Stress Harvesting zone. Transferring to you more and more accurate energy, every time you ran low, that was why there was no hunger or thirst in the zone, but out there— it does not apply like here; it’s not the same there— you need to eat and drink,’

‘Man what a lengthy lecturer,’ Willy thought carelessly.

Then he remembered, Andy could read his mind.

‘I’m sorry about that,’ Willy apologized.

‘But how? Steal food? It's easy to steal food though, but I’m not a cheap, low scum,’ Willy thought further in response.

‘Well done! Use the credit card— in your top coat pocket,’ came Andy’s reply.

Willy felt his top coat pocket with his right hand, and he took out the credit card carefully.

‘Amazing’, thought Willy. It was there all along, somehow he did not realize that it was there.

What was not normal was: somehow he knew how to use it, and he found that to be even stranger.

He switched off both the invisible mode and the phantom effect on his left wrist watch-like Enabler,

A little boy dropped his lollypop in surprise; when Willy suddenly appeared on the footpath.

The boy couldn’t believe that anyone could just suddenly drop by onto the footpath, out of the pure thin air.

The boy was wearing a Pokémon t-shirt, and a red bucket hat on a neatly trimmed head.

The panic stricken child ran screaming for his mama.

Willy approached the nearby restaurant and entered, the smell was heavenly and Willy couldn’t even begin to imagine the mouth watering dishes that they had to offer.

He found a table and sat down and waited for the waiter to finish serving a couple a few tables away.

He ordered the breakfast— bacon with scrambled eggs, buttered toasts and a hot cup of creamy-coffee— it was a delicious breakfast, especially for someone who once used to be a homeless man.

The waiter was a thin boy with freckles and large ears.

He sat there and ate to his heart's satisfaction. He couldn’t even vaguely remember at all, if he had ever had something as satisfying as freshly buttered toast, with bacon and scrambled eggs, he was re-exploring the world of taste all over again.

“Can a few pennies from begging buy you a suit, or did you steal it?” A voice said disturbing Willy’s concentration.

Brett had came out from the back Kitchen and he stood there, staring at Willy in surprise.

Willy suddenly realized that he had unfortunately by mistake chosen the wrong restaurant. He was in Brett Storm’s restaurant and it was a slight mistake on his part. Nonetheless what crime was that?

Brett was his competition for Wendy, but he did not at first hated the guy for that.

“What difference does it make? At least I paid for the meal,” Willy shrugged nonchalantly.

Brett ignored that remark.

Brett was wearing an apron and he had a toothpick firmly wedged between his red lips.

“I know who you are— you’re that begging, homeless– bastard,” Brett said with an angry scowl growing on his red face—

“I almost did not recognise you without your dirty beany and that stinky green jacket,” Brett added with utter disdain and disgust, eyeing him suspiciously—

“Did you get that suit from the dumpster or did you steal it?” Brett repeated again contemptuously, with a visible look of disgust.

Willy cleaned his mouth carefully with a paper napkin. He seemed unaware or unconcerned about Brett’s increased animosity.

By now the other diners were exchanging uncomfortable looks between themselves and between him and Brett Storm.

Calmly— he looked up at Brett and said in the most best possible manner, “Is that how you treat your customers?”

Brett looked away in embarrassment as the other diners eyed him with surprise.

“I’ll be seeing you outside,” Brett leaned closer and whispered menacingly at Willy.

Willy smelt garlic on his breath.

“Well, I’ll be looking forward to that also,” Willy said smiling and he gave Brett a parting toast with his cup of coffee.

Brett shot back at him a look of daggers as he walked away,

He was just teasing Brett, trying to see how far Brett could go.

After that breakfast Willy strutted smartly towards the exit– possibly unaware of anything unusual, or maybe he was probably expecting something, but it did not show on Willy’s countenance; it had seemed that he was not expecting anything unusual—

A huge splash of cold water hit him– it was suddenly out of the blue!

It happened right at the restaurant’s exit—

“Ladies and gentlemen this is a beggar who stole someone’s power-suit and paid for his meal with pennies from begging!” Brett announced–

Brett was holding the empty green bucket, which he had used to empty more than five litters of cold-water onto Willy.

Willy was drenched to the skin.

“You mean sick jerk!” a feminine voice suddenly cuts in, Brett Storm and Willy Goodwill were both surprised to see the stunning Wendy Rivers standing there, hands on hips, eyeing Brett with contempt and disgust. A perfect reflection of Brett’s own rudeness towards Willy.

“Just leave the poor man alone,” Wendy said, and she took hold of Willy’s left hand– and she tugged him away from Brett; And thankfully, it was before Willy could even decide what to do with Brett.

If all of a sudden — Wendy had not intervened, Brett would have already been on a stretcher on the St John’s Ambulance making its way towards the district hospital’s intensive care unit by now.

Somehow Wendy’s sudden appearance and interference had saved Brett.

She had saved Willy from impulsively hurting Brett. Although Willy would’ve latter argued that the guy had it coming.

“Don’t worry it should be ok, let’s just visit the local dry cleaners; they have a clothes dryer, I have a female friend who works there. She can dry up your suit in a jiffy,” Wendy said reassuringly, disentangling her own warm, soft right hand from his hard left hand.

“By the way cool watch, how did you—?” Wendy began and she paused smiling, referring with mild harmless curiosity at the Enabler, on Willy Goodwill's wrist. She just let it pass nodding with understanding.

Brett found it hard to believe. A homeless man had better chances to Wendy than him. News flash: love does not discriminate.

He stood behind, staring at Willy and Wendy, like a child staring at something new; He had astonishment and disbelief written all over his face, the toothpick fell from his red gaping lips.

“Don’t worry I have this, it’s going to be fine,” Willy said brushing off Wendy’s offer, he then stood still and closed his eyes.

They had left Brett’s restaurant behind and were by now, a couple of blocks away.

‘Andy how do I get this suit to dry up?' Willy quickly transmitted a thought.

Andy's voice said in his mind, ‘Think of the sun and imagine it’s warmth and heat.’

“What are you doing there?! Just standing there with your eyes closed?” Wendy enquired.