By hubba hubba, ding, ding, ding that man’s got everything, thought Rosalie as she watched Mac deposit a bag of groceries topped off with Wonder Bread and a jar of Skippy in Old Maid Myers’ pristine 1939 Ford coupe. Mac had worked for Cromer’s Grocer since he was twelve and always saved enough from his earnings for the collection plate at the First Presbyterian Church and a dime for the Saturday matinee at the Capital Theatre on South Main. Rosalie wasn’t easily swayed by a handsome face, having grown up with seven brothers; however there was something about that swagger and hard-boiled good looks that made her motor hum. She decided right at that moment walking down Walnut Avenue to design a crafty plan to catch Mac’s eye.
Rosalie worked part-time at Penn Diner owned by her Aunt Darcy on her mother’s side. She decided to consult her aunt on attracting a man since Aunt Darcy and Uncle Walt had been blissfully married for 25 years. Walt worked the late shift at the rivet plant, had been the county marble champion for the last 40 years, and thought his wife was the bee’s knees. In cahoots with Rosalie’s plan to get Mac to think he had the hots for her, Darcy put her pageboy hairdo to work on strategizing a plan that would plant family and friends in Cromer’s, dropping sweet nothings about Rosalie and her finer qualities along with her availability, within earshot of the unsuspecting hunk. Calmed by Darcy’s assurance that her Monday plan was foolproof and would have them dating by the weekend, Rosalie did her best to trust her Aunt Darcy and put her heebie jeebies to rest.
The next morning upon arriving at the diner, Darcy, who previously had only laid eyes on Mac on her weekly Thursday morning trip to Cromer’s, was staring at that handsome mug downing the Tuesday Tutti Frutti Pie Special at her own lunch counter. Charlotte, the morning shift waitress, was pouring him Maxwell House and smiling like a Cheshire Cat.
“Now what in heaven’s name made him show up here?” mumbled Darcy as she walked on over to shoo Charlotte back to waitressing. “Hi-de-ho, Mac, what’s shakin’ over at Cromer’s?” Darcy dropped a darling smile on him and waited for a reply.
“Well, I reckon Mr. Cromer’s not disappointed with business. How are things here?” Mac stared at Darcy with warm brown eyes that melted her mind right off the conversation.
“Rosalie will be here for work at 4!” popped Darcy, “H E double toothpicks!”
A big ole grin came across Mac’s face, and Darcy knew all that conniving and planning were for naught, for she had shot her mouth off and popped out the very thing she’d promised Rosalie wouldn’t happen. At this point Darcy, being the strong, confident woman that she was, stopped worrying about her little outburst and began to craft a plan that would someday have Mac pop the question to Rosalie.
Dedicated to my mom and dad who were married on February 20, 1939.
This was one third of "SNAP, CRACKLE, AND POP." ~ Special thanks to Madame Z and Harry B Sanderford for taking on the challenge, and to Absolutely*Kate at AT THE BIJOU for offering it up!!
