CHAPTER SIXTY NINE – FIRST DAY ON THE JOB

During a rare lull in the afternoon, Laura found herself wiping down the counter next to an older waitress named Dottie. "So, how you holding up, sweetie?" Dottie asked, her kind eyes crinkling at the corners. Laura sighed. "It's... intense. I never knew working in a diner could be so challenging." Dottie chuckled. "Oh, honey, you ain't seen nothing yet. But don't you worry. Old Fierro may seem tough, but he's got a heart of gold. He just wants to make sure you can handle anything this place throws at you." "Does he always interview people like this?" Laura asked. "More or less," Dottie replied with a wink. "Legend has it he once made a potential hire wrestle a possum that had gotten into the garbage out back." Laura's eyes widened. "You're kidding, right?" Dottie just smiled mysteriously and moved on to take an order. As the dinner rush approached, Mr. Fierro called Laura into his cramped office at the back of the diner. The small room was cluttered with stacks of papers, old