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Danny’s Diner where just about everyone who was out and about decided to go. This was a boon for Danny, who pressed a couple of the regular townspeople into service, because Annie and Kate couldn’t handle the overflow crowd by themselves. The diner was known for its French toast, the extra thick slices (Challah that was delivered from Baltimore every other day) that soaked up the egg and was crispy on the outside – and the real maple syrup that Danny ordered directly from New Hampshire. Danny had gotten permission to post a ‘French toast’ sign along the interstate, right at the nearby exit, which resulted in some truck traffic; luckily, Danny’s grill was big enough for sixteen pieces of toast at once and, for the few people who ordered burgers, he used the flat pan that covered two burners. Most people knew not to order the burgers because Danny cooked them all well-done regardless of how people wanted them because, as he told his wife, Kate, “I’m gonna give ‘em what’s best for them, not this rare or medium rare stuff.” So things were hopping at Danny’s with the truckers – I do have to admit that Danny’s French toast sign was good enough to make your mouth water – as well as all the people who wanted to wait out the torrent, which included me. A number of people called out to me, “Hey Soft Hands, good to see you.”
A little bit about myself and how I got this name – a name I don’t much like. It was okay when they started calling me Math Boy. My name is actually Bert, but I don’t think anyone remembers that. When I was in high school twenty years ago, I won the county math competition, went to the regionals, and eventually won the state competition. Before that, people didn’t even know where Murrayville was, and my win made people real proud, and that’s when the Math Boy thing started. To nobody’s surprise, I became an accountant – the only one in Murrayville. Most of the people worked their farms or were employed just outside town at Rollins Roof Rafters. And then one day, a few years ago, I congratulated Kate for winning the cow-milking contest at the county fair, and when I shook her hand, she said, right in front of everyone at Danny’s, “My, what soft hands you have!” And from that moment on, Math Boy became Soft Hands.