Angina & Edward

Wednesday with Angina (Ang & Gina). Yesterday, we met Edward Halloran. We were having lunch at the Broadway in Red Bank. I ordered the grilled chicken salad with raspberry vinegarette...and minestrone. Gina ordered a classic. First, the coconut chicken salad with the addition of mozzerlla, tomato, and roasted red pepper...parmesan cheese and blue cheese dressing. I look over and tell her. "Gina, that's disgusting" She looks at me and says, "yeah, ya know...I want a hamburger." We call the shy waiter over...and she reorders
"Scratch that salad. I've have a hamburger, no bun, no potato chips. Mozzarella cheese, roasted red pepper and onion...you know, those frizzy onions..."
"You mean, fried?" The shy waiter asks....apprehensively. "NO! not fried.."
" fried...Gina, their fried" I chime in. "Okay..yeah, fried" Gina concludes. "And a side salad...and what is your soup of the day?" "Our soup of the day?" "Yeah, the soup of the day, what is it?" "Oh um...our soup of the day is minestrone." Okay, I'll have a cup of that, Ang, do you want a cup of soup?" "Yeah, gimme one too"

We settle down to more discussion of men and home design. Our lunch arrives. We start eating the oh so pedestrian can-flavored minestrone. Gina looks to her left. "I think I know that guy, he looks really familiar. Where do I know him from?" Gina ponders...brows knit across her forehead. "Hey! you look familiar..where do I know you from? church?"
The dear man had cerebral palsey and 2 hearing aids. I was facing him, she was on the side.

Edward Halloran turns around, "huh? church? St. James?" "Yeah! yeah, St. James!"
He brightened, "Yes! yes, St. James!" "I knew you looked familiar!" "Hey, what's your name" Gina asks. Edward pulls out his train pass and some other identification...

"Gina, I think he's deaf...I don't think he heard you." I add. That wasn't it. He could hear us. I suppose it was easier for him to hand us his ID than to speak his name. Perhaps he is used to most folks not being able to understand him. He had never met us, obviously.
Gina smiles her brilliant smile and says,"Edward Halloran! You Hooligan! How old are you?" "Whha whaaa, aaahhmmm, fifffty ssevven!" "FIFTY SEVEN! GET OUT!"
"You don't look a day over thirty!" "Ang, Eddie is 57! born in 1948." "No way!"
Well, all I can say is that the man had a full head of hair, peaches and cream complexion and bright clear dancing eyes. "Edward, do you color your hair? Look at your hair! Its gorgeous! A gorgeous head of hair.. no grey. You color it, don't you?"
"nnnnoooo! no. I dddoonn't color my hhhhair!" Edward struggles. Hes now brightening....loving the attention.

We sit and chat with Edward for a good hour. He told us his parents died 20 years ago, 10 days apart. "Died of a broken heart, Edward." Gina consoles. I ask, "Do you have any family here, Edward? brothers? sisters?" "oohh yes! Yeah. I have thhh thhh reeee brrrothers...I live wiiiiiiiith one in the house here. I have one brother that lllivvvessss in Neptune City" "ahh NC" Gina adds. "Onnne brother, dddiiiiied ten days affffter he wa a aaas born"

Anyway. This went on and on. Edward was laughing, getting a big kick out of Gina. Meanwhile, I'm picking away at my salad. Then it happens. I uncover a dead fly hidden amonst the field greens. "OH MY GOSH...GINA...LOOK AT THIS!" "Oh no ANG. That's a free salad right there." We flag the shy waiter. "uhh, hey. Look at this!" I say to him sternly. Flummoxed, he stammers..."Oh, umm...I'm very sorry...ummm, do you want another salad?" "NO THANKS"
"uh, okay..." He removes the offending dish, not knowing what to do he motions over a more senior waitress for a consultation. He returns. "We're removing the grilled chicken salad from your bill" "Oh, Thank you".

Edward is still part of the party, laughing and talking away like we knew each other for years.
The shy waiter returns, "Would you like a dessert" "Whadya have?" He lists the choices. "We'll take the Charlie Brown" Shy waiter returns with the "Charlie Brown" (a brownie ala mode with chocolate syrup and whipped cream) "oh, and the dessert is on us too, we're really sorry."

"Well, that's really above and beyond, Ang. The free salad was expected, but dessert too? That's above and beyond."

We share (well, I ate most of it, honestly) the Charlie Brown...Eddie still in tow.
"Did you get a picture of Eddie, Ang? Get a picture of Eddie." "Okay, you too. Both of you, move over to this side of the table."