Jillian Chantal

This week, the writers of Tuesday Tales are writing to the word prompt busy. I am still in the same story about the buried treasure.

Check out the other tales here.

I waved at Levi as I headed over to the table in the corner where he sat with a glass of soda in front of him and what I presumed was my water with a slice of lime in front of one of the other chairs at the four-seater. 

My phone buzzed in my pocket where I’d stashed on the way over. I decided to ignore it as it was probably the mayor’s favorite employee, Bethany, and it’s my lunch break.

I pulled out the chair and, as I sat, said, “You remembered my drink order.”

“It’s been the same for as long as I can recall. Even as a kid, you didn’t like this junk.” He toasted me with his glass.

“It’s just that it never quenched my thirst. I don’t mind the taste, but I stay thirsty when I drink it.”

I set my phone on the table and it buzzed again.

“Are you going to get that?”

I picked it up and glanced at the screen. As I thought. Bethany. “Nope. I’m on break.” I sighed. “You know what I miss?”

“What’s that?” He asked and seemed to smile at the face I made.

“Busy signals. Yep. Busy signals.”

He shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

“You know. Back in the old days, you could take the phone off the hook if you didn’t want to talk. The caller would hang up as they’d know you weren’t available.”

Levi throw his head back and laughed. “Yeah, right. All I remember about the phone being off the hook was the outrageous blaring that happened to alert the whole house and maybe the block that the phone was off the hook.”

“Oh yeah. I forgot about that. But it is annoying how many people expect because we all have phones that we are always available.”

“Boundaries.” He tilted his glass toward me. “If you don’t set them, no one will do it for you.”

I took a swig of my drink before saying, “And that’s exactly what I’m doing.” I smacked the menu. “What’s for lunch?”