“Yeah, yeah,” Charlie says, heading over to the fridge and rummaging for something. He looks totally different now that he's in his white uniform. I always found that the uniform gives an air of respectability to anyone, even someone known for not wearing shoes. And to be safe, I look down and notice the skate shoes he's got on. Not exactly good protection if he drops something on it but good enough for Hawaii.
“Any questions?” Johnny asks me.
I raise a brow. “Um. I have a ton of questions.”
“Let's hear it. I've got a few minutes before I have to get back to work. I keep myself on a tight shift.”
I wonder if that's true after the comment that Logan made about him being all relaxed but I realize that I can't exactly take Logan's word for a lot of things.
“Well, for one . . . what's the menu? Who are the suppliers and how often do we get stuff in? Who handles that? Do we have a bartender? Who are the wait staff? Dishwasher? Is the menu always set or does it change from day to day? Do we do special events and if so, how do we handle those on top of the restaurant, considering there are only three of us.”
Johnny is staring at me so blankly that I'm afraid he hasn't heard me.
Finally, he nods. “Okay. I think I may need a beer after that one.”
“Yes, beer please,” Charlie says, not looking up.
I want to ask if drinking on the job is a regular thing but I don't dare. I've already shaken things up enough with my suggestions, I won't be asking them to change how they work today.
Johnny raises his hand and starts ticking off the answers on each finger. “The menu is posted on the wall behind, changes are seasonal. If we sell out of something, then we're out of it and it’s crossed off the menu. We have a local fisherman supplier for all the fish, and we use another supplier for a lot of the local vegetables and meat. Yes, we have a bartender. Daniel. He's also a real estate agent so he's going to try and sell you a condo, just warning you. May also try and get in your pants.” Johnny glances at the clock over my head. “He'll be here soon. On Sunday's we open at six, which is in an hour, in case you're still on Chicago time, rest of the week we open at five. We stop serving at ten, though we tend to prepare a few pupus ahead of time on the weekend, for people drinking at the bar.”
“Pupus?” I repeat.
He grins. “Yes. It means, like, tapas. Appetizers. Pupus are our selling point here. Lot's of variety and easy to prepare. People love pupus.”
“We even have a tee shirt that says ‘People Love Our Pupus,’” Charlie says with a laugh. “Which reminds me, we need to order some more in. Honestly there isn’t a pupu joke that doesn’t make me laugh.”
“Aye,” Johnny says. “Get Kate to do that. Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. Pupus and fresh fish is what we're known for, and a lot of our food has a Mediterranean slant to it. You know, meze platters and all that. Cheap to make, the health nuts love it. What else? Ah, Nikki. She's our waitress. She works every week night. Kate will run food if it's really busy, which usually means Logan takes over reception. I know he sounded like he's large and in charge with the kitchen but that's his ego talking. I'm the large one here,” he says, poking his thumb into his chest, “and I'm in charge. Logan doesn't step in here all that much, except to drink sometimes with Daniel, and frankly it makes the kitchen one of the best places to work at Moonwater.”
“Sounds like it. Who waitresses on weekends?”
“There are a few local girls, one in Hanalei, one in Haena. They're great for back-up too.”
“Hey guys,” a man's voice breaks in, the accent high and lilting. “And Ms. Locke.”
I turn to see Jin coming in, grabbing an apron off a rack and tying it behind his back.
“And Jin,” Johnny says. “He's the dishwasher.”
“It's a fascinating job,” Jin says dryly, giving me a kind smile to let me know he doesn't really mind at all.
“He's the backbone of our operation,” Johnny says. “And when he's not washing dishes, he's the hotel maintenance man. And sometimes the shuttle bus driver.”
I laugh lightly. “I'm starting to think that everyone here is a shuttle bus driver at some point.”
“Except me,” Charlie says.
“Because you took the bus to Hanalei beach and gave rides home to the surfer chicks,” Johnny points out.
“That was one time,” Charlie protests.
Johnny rolls his eyes. “Useless, I tell ya.”
After that I stay in the kitchen until the customers start coming into the restaurant. Just enough to observe how things are going without feeling like I’m inspecting them or getting in the way.