An Astoria scene…
Il Fornaio (also known as Vacarro's) is a Sicilian bakery on the corner of 30th Ave and 30th Street where the produce is tasty as long as you have the patience to wait for it. The other day a woman called Samantha, Sam for short, was waiting with a girl friend for their sandwiches to be made. Sam was large and beautiful, with dark wavy hair, a subtle nose stud and her curves accentuated by a tight top and trousers. She oozed sex appeal that she managed with poise. The Italian-American guy in his mid-thirties working at the till was enthralled. “So how old are you Sam?”
“Eighteen.”
“Eighteen?! Jesus Christ. Still in high school?”
“Nah.”
“You Italian?”
“Half.”
“What’s the other half?”
“Colombian.”
“That explains it, where you get those good looks from.”
Another customer reminded till-man that he was still waiting to pay. Till man dealt with the transaction then turned his attention right back to Sam.
“You ladies eating in or taking out?”
There are three stools in Il Fornaio. A man sitting on the middle one got up so the two girls could sit next to each other. “You gave them napkins?” till man asked the man who made the sandwiches. Delighted that the answer was no, till man came out from behind the counter and approached the two girls, bunch of napkins in hand.
At which point my salami sandwich was ready and I had to leave Sam, Sam's friend and till man to it.
This seemed such an Astoria scene to me, for the friendly interaction (in a small shop) between strangers (doesn’t have to be flirtatious) and the fact ethnic background was factored into the equation.
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