It had to stop. As soon as possible. "Free waffles in the middle of a ghetto," Shaniqua mused as another homeless drunk walked in the door. Recognizing the man by his stocking cap, Shaniqua glanced at the clock and back into the kitchen. 5 minutes past her shift was supposed to be up and no sign of her replacement. "Can I take your order?" Shaniqua demanded sharply, hoping to get food in his mouth before he started his rambling again. "Free waffle," the man muttered, almost to himself. "Would you like to order anything else?" Shaniqua asked, as company policy dictates. "I already have," he replied. "Sir, no you haven't. Here we go again." "The truth with all it's power lies inside me," he continued. "Next customer!" Shaniqua yelled to an imaginary patron behind the man in the stocking cap. The man turned, appearing to see the customer Shaniqua pointed out, muttered something barely audible under his breath, and moved to a table in the back corner of Casa D' Waffles. "Need to remember that one," Shaniqua thought to herself.
With impeccable timing, John pushed open the door from the kitchen, out of breath and still putting his uniform on. With a glare from his narrow face and not a word between them, Shaniqua went back into the kitchen, grabbed her unread mail off the table, and sat down in a vacant chair. Magazines subscriptions, the rent for room 42 at Castle Apartments, and product advertisements, and then suddenly all too familiar handwriting was staring Shaniqua in the face. He wanted money. And more than the usual, $500 this time. "The rent's going to be late this month." If he kept up this increase, the truth might have to come out, even if it cost Shaniqua everything she had. But if she let this continue, she would still lose everything. "The truth with all it's power lies inside me." The irony eluded Shaniqua. Taking off her work clothes, Shaniqua walked quickly out the door. The man in the stocking cap was still in the corner, clutching an old leatherbound book to his chest as he mumbled with his eyes closed. "Poor man," Shaniqua thought in a rare moment of compassion. Turning her collar up to the light rain, Shaniqua started for her residence at a quick pace.
