And Ralphie's in, with his child bride, 20 some years old, he's my age, trying to impress us, I'm not impressed, good-luck-buddy- easy to catch, hard to hold...
They have a kid, a year old or less, in a bassinet sat upon the table, I think about it, my life, starting again at 50, I have 2 already, no-way...
But Ralphie's putting a good face on it, doesn't know better, thinks he's impressing us.
They leave, tip well, cleaning up the table in the linen I find his phone.
He calls. He'll come and pick it up. "Not to worry" I assure him, "I''ll drop it off", he only lives a few blocks away. And I try to talk the nephew into dropping it off, he's done, it's polite, but the nephew will have none of it, he's got plans after work, he's busy, I excuse myself for 5 minutes, drive up, drop off Ralphies phone. He answers the door in his housecoat, bottle of Grey Goose in a little generic Xmas wrapping, this is his thank you, I decline but he urges me to take it, "It's only liquor", and I return to the restaurant with the trophy to show the nephew what an ass he was, a large return on a small effort...