Mel signaled for the waiter. He was upset but tried to remain calm. It was his first time at the restaurant.
“Are you sure this place’s okay?”
“What’d you mean?” The waiter had the name ‘Ralph’ stenciled on his white jacket pocket.
“Ralph, there were two flies on my table.”
Ralph saw only the tuna melt he’d brought a few minutes before. “I don’t recall any flies coming with that sandwich.”
“No, they didn’t come with it.” Mel explained he had just shooed the flies away.
“Two, huh? I’m sorry.”
Ralph didn’t look sorry. Mel was upset, which always affected his vision and impressions. Would this be his last time at the place?
“Can you believe it? There were just two green-headed flies with big eyes walking toward my sandwich.”
“Sorry.”
“Sorry? I want my money back.”
Now Ralph was upset. Who wants to give back money?
“Look, I’ve got other customers. But I’ve been trying to apologize.”
“What?”
“Apologize.”
Couldn’t Mel realize that?
“Huh?”
“Green, with bulging compound eyes?”
“Exactly.”
“Look, I’m sorry… I must’ve forgotten to bring your flyswatter along with the tuna melt.”
David Sydney is a physician. He writes fiction in and out of the EHR (Electronic Health Record).