Lightning and Sally exchanged a look. They knew Mater just wanted to be near his best friend.
“Uh, this wasn’t my idea,” Lightning whispered to Sally.
But Sally just smiled. She knew how much Lightning meant to Mater. She decided to play along. “Okay, then, what are the specials tonight, Mater the waiter?”
Mater looked at Sally blankly. “The specials? Oh. Well, our transmission consommé is sublime.”
Sally was stunned—and delighted—by Mater’s presentation. Lightning was impressed.
“Ooh, I think I saw Miss Sally’s eyes light up there,” Lightning commented. “What else you got?”
Mater grinned. “There’s coolant gas-pacho. That’s served cold. And it’s drizzled with power-steering fluid.” Mater went on and on until he couldn’t think of any other dishes. “I’ll let you two lovebirds mull that over while I get your drinks.”
Lightning grinned. He had to hand it to Mater: the tow truck had done well.
“I’ll have my usual,” he told Mater.
“That sounds good. I’ll have his usual, too,” Sally said. She liked seeing Lightning and Mater together. Their friendship was important to both of them.
Mater blinked. Clearly, he would have to figure out what that “usual” was! He turned and drove away to find out.
“I really missed that guy,” Lightning said to Sally. “Never a dull moment.”
Inside the restaurant, Fillmore and Sarge were watching television as Guido served the cars some fuel and oil.
“Guido,” Mater said in a hushed voice, “what’s Lightning’s usual?”
Guido replied—in Italian—that he had no idea.
“Perfect!” Mater agreed. “Give me two of them!”
As Mater waited for Guido to pour some oil into two glasses, his attention strayed to the television. The Mel Dorado Show was on. Mel’s guest tonight was legendary oil baron Sir Miles Axlerod.
“He shocked the world when he sold his oil fortune, converted himself from a gas guzzler into an electric car, and devoted his life to finding a renewable, cleanburning fuel!” Mel announced over the TV.
“Once ‘big oil,’ always ‘big oil,’ man,” Fillmore commented. He preferred his own organic blend.
“And to show the world what his new superfuel, Allinol, can do,” Mel told his viewing audience, “he’s created a racing competition like no other, inviting the greatest champions from around the globe to battle in the first-ever World Grand Prix!”
Axlerod nodded modestly.
“Why Allinol? Why now?” Mel asked.
“Have you filled up your tank recently? It costs a fortune,” Sir Miles replied. “Pollution is getting worse. The world is sick of ‘big oil.’” Impassioned, Axlerod went on, “Alternative fuel is the future! And Allinol is the cleanest, safest, cheapest alternative fuel ever made.” Mel nodded approvingly as Axlerod continued. “Trust me, Mel. After seeing Allinol in action at the World Grand Prix, nobody will ever go back to gasoline again.”
Mel asked Miles why Lightning McQueen hadn’t been invited to be in the race.
“We did ask,” Axlerod replied. “But apparently he’s taking some time off to rest.”
At that moment, the Italian racing legend Francesco Bernoulli jumped into the conversation.
“Lightning McQueen would not have a chance against Francesco!” Francesco boasted.
Mater’s jaw dropped. He could not believe that this Italian racer was insulting Lightning on TV! Mater put down his tray and headed for the phone.
Lightning and Sally were still waiting for their drinks when Lightning thought he heard Mater’s voice on the TV in the background. Lightning didn’t know it yet, but Mater was Mel’s next caller.
“That I-talian fella you got on there can’t talk that way about Lightning McQueen!” Mater shouted over the phone. His voice was broadcast loudly over the television set. “He’s the bestest race car in the whole wide world.”
Francesco smugly replied, “If he is, as you say, ‘the bestest race car,’ then why must he rest?”
A crowd was forming at the bar now. Everyone listened as Mater said, “’Cause he knows what’s important! Every now and then he just prefers to slow down and enjoy life.”
“You heard it,” Francesco announced, gloating. “Lightning McQueen prefers to be slow. This is not news to Francesco. When I want to go to sleep, I watch one of his races. After two laps, I am out cold.”
The Radiator Springs crowd began to boo. Sally and Lightning moved from their table to see what the commotion was about.