The Deli of Distractions

The Deli of Distractions

Don doesn’t tell her that Grizzly hasn’t put anything in his refrigerator in weeks and that the rest isn’t in his kitchen but in some slot machine or at a bar.  And he starts thinking strategy – how fast can he get through the store so he doesn’t have to play father and even think about Eddie and he doesn’t even know Eddie.  But he knows he doesn’t like him for leaving his child.

“They give free samples at the bakery.”  Don says.

And he thinks about the supplies he needs for Fridays and making sandwiches with Thom, Ally’s six-year old son.  Thom’s father didn’t leave.  Is this the difference?  He doesn’t know.  This girl makes him remember his dad and also what it was like to be sixteen and how he was ignored until he fixed his father’s favorite sandwich that was always heavy on the meat.

“You look like you could use big food too,” Emily says.

“Your mom asked me to pick up a few things.”

“Sure.”  Emily doesn’t ask what Grizzly wants and she doesn’t make any additions to the list, and Don plans to pick up extra sandwich making supplies.  He says nothing about Friday and his ritual with Thom.  And he thinks, I am not her father.  And he keeps thinking this during his whole trip through the store.

Don moves so fast he skips the cheese and meat samples at the deli.  He goes through the checkout and drives home before he realizes he left Eddie’s daughter there.  And he blames the giant new deli, the great selection of meat and cheese and bread as the reason he got so distracted and left Emily behind.  He blames Eddie too.  He pulls into the Expectant Mother parking space and rushes towards the bakery.