Free Bone in the Throat by Anthony Bourdain

had rising in his throat. "How about tomorrow? I gotta work tomorrow. I'm gonna come in here and work, and know there's a fuckin' dead guy sittin' there inna garbage the whole fuckin' night I'm workin'? I'm supposed ta act like normal?"
    "So call in sick, you got a problem. Don't be a fuckin' crybaby," said Sally.
    "I'm not crying!" said Tommy, grateful that he was getting angry. "What if it starts to smell?"
    "It's just one day that he's gotta be there," said Sally. "I seen your garbage. I seen your garbage and it smells a fuck of a lot worse than anythin' we put in there. Don't worry about that."
    "What if somebody finds him there?" Tommy whispered, aware of Skinny moving around in the kitchen.
    "Nobody's gonna find him, awright?" said Sally, removing his hand from Tommy's neck, growing irritated. "Don't get all hysterical on me. I'm fuckin' countin' on you here."
    "You want me to wash the dishes?" said Tommy, knowing he'd have to.
    " 'Less you want me to ask Skinny to do 'em. I don't think you want me to do that," said Sally, ominously. "It's just a few things, and some pots that got a little dirty. Take you five minutes. Me and Skin, we'll have a drink upstairs while you finish up. Skinny and me, we got everything else. Tomorrow you call in sick. Awright? Now let's be a man."
    Tommy finished the dirty dishes in the rack and sent them through the dishwasher. It took five loads to get them all. Then he took the sprayer and a rubber squeegee and cleaned the whole area, pushing pink water down the little drain.
    He was taking off his apron when Sally and Skinny came down from the dining room.
    "We all done here?" Sally asked.
    Tommy nodded weakly.
    "You should throw out that apron," said Skinny.
    "You'll feel better tomorrow," said Sally.
    "I guess so," said Tommy, for Skinny's benefit. He didn't like the way Skinny was looking at him.
    They left the restaurant together. Tommy closed the metal trapdoors behind them and snapped on the Master lock. It was starting to get light on Spring Street. A bakery truck pulled up in front of the Count's, a man left brown paper bags of Italian bread in the doorway. Down West Broadway, a garbage truck hoisted a Dumpster, beeping as the driver put it in reverse.
    They walked over to Varick Street and approached a dusty Buick. Somebody had written WASH ME on the rear window with their finger. Sally went around and unlocked the driver's side door, got in, and started the engine. He leaned over and unlocked the passenger door for Skinny.
    He called out of the car to Tommy. "We give you a lift?"
    "No, thanks," said Tommy, "I wanna walk for a bit."
    Tommy saw Skinny looking at him through the windshield, a smirking expression on his face. He waved to Tommy as the car pulled away.

Twelve
    T OMMY WOKE UP at one-thirty in the afternoon, still in his clothes. He wasn't due in till four—they were serving brunch today. He lit a cigarette and tossed the spent match into a beer can on the night table. The television was on with the volume down low, and Tommy searched around in the sheets for a remote. Unable to find it, he pulled himself out of bed, walked over to the set, and turned it off.
    He finished his cigarette, cleared away the empty beer cans, picked up the phone, and called the restaurant.
    Harvey answered.
    "Harvey, it's Tommy," Tommy said, his voice constricting, "I'm not coming in today. I'm sick."
    "What have you got, the flu?" asked Harvey. "You don't sound too good."
    "I don't know. I just feel real sick."
    "You should drink some tea. With lemon," said Harvey. "You throwing up?"
    "I've been either hugging the bowl or shitting like a mink all night long," said Tommy.
    "Well," said Harvey, "get some rest. I'll get Ricky or somebody to cover. My fucking luck it'll be slow tonight anyway. You just feel better. When do you think you'll be back in? You gonna be able to work tomorrow?"
    "Yeah," said Tommy, "I'm sure I'll make it tomorrow. If there's any problem, I'll call you back."
    "Okay.