Last Respects

Gino walks through the dining room, smoothing tablecloths, straightening chairs, lining up silverware.

He picks up a wineglass and holds it to the light.

Spotless.

In fact, the entire place is spotless, the staff having stayed late to make sure their restaurant will be at its best for this, its last day.

Gino walks to the maître d’ booth and inspects the book.

A solid Wednesday,  reservations from 11 right to close.

So many familiar names, regulars coming to pay their last respects.

He turns to the next pages.  All of them are blank.

The new owners will have their own book.

Friday Fictioneers

17 comments

Add Yours
  1. Dale

    This could have happened here. The co-owner committed suicide six months before. The present owner hung on (though he lost all the Portuguese patrons who went there for Nelson) and made it work… well, till now. We shall see what happens next…

  2. msjadeli

    Scenarios like this are going to be playing out everywhere like this real soon. It’s a gut-churning thought even from a distance. Good story with a very unfortunate premise.

Don't just stand there.