“You’d let me know if you wanted anything else now, wouldn’t you?” He seemed to be probing for something.
Sally nodded. “So, are you the manager?”
Carl smiled, “sort of. I’m Carl.” This just got a blank look from Sally. So, he continued, “as in, ‘Carl’s truck stop’.”
“Wait, there’s actually a Carl? You’re that Carl? No way.”
“Seriously. although, to be honest I cheated. My dad bought the place and built it up. He bought it when I was 10 telling me it would be mine one day, even named it after me to prove it!”
“Well, thank you Carl, that’s quite the service you provide. Do you introduce yourself to everyone that comes through?”
“Not everyone. But I find myself drawn to those that order the special.”
Carl then looked over Sally, taking her in. He changed the subject, asking, “you’re not a regular here, and you don’t look like the typical road warrior, what brings you in today?”
“I don’t?” Sally asked. “What does a road warrior look like?”
“Don’t get me wrong, you could be, but you look like you could take over a board meeting and all the social club wives at the same time, and you don’t look tired from driving. So, if you are a traveler, I’m quite impressed. We do have some local regulars, but they are typically from the trailer park across the way. Am I wrong?”
The smile Sally gave him could win beauty contests. “No, you’re right, I’m from town, but this is my first time here.”
“Well, I’m delighted to have you! Can I ask what brought you to our neck of the woods? Was it the rumors of the best cream pie special?”
Sally blanched. She was sure that she looked like a ghost. Before she could come up with a misdirect, she answered, “I had heard rumor of it.”
“And is it all that you expected? Or was there something more to it in the stories you’d heard?”
Sally swallowed hard. “I had heard of more cream pies.”
“I see. Well, as you can imagine, there are cream pies, and there are creampies.”
“Is it true that there are creampies in a hole?” The code was clumsy, but Sally didn’t know what else to say.
Carl smiled warmly, “ah, yes, that kind of creampie can be made. Would you like to come into my office to discuss ordering one?”
Knots and butterflies battle to dominate Sally’s stomach as she quietly nodded.
As they stood, Sally reached for her purse to pay for the pie and coffee. Carl just knocked the counter with his knuckle, “don’t worry none about that, it’s on the house, no matter whether we order you another.”
Carl led Sally along the length of the diner’s counter to a door at the far end. The door, like his nametag, just said “Carl”.
The office was simple and clean. There were a couple of comfortable chairs, a computer and a filing cabinet. The pictures around the office were all framed photos of various places. A few had people in them, but most were just of ocean or mountains.
Sally sat at Carl’s direction, feeling fully outside her element.
Carl continued to smile as he said, “ok, enough with the code. You came here looking for something, likely rated x in nature, is that right?”