Waitin' in Line

Earlier in the novel, attentive readers will have been alerted to a passage where Miles Davis is unable to complete his order in the McDonalds checkout line. The following is a fully-realized and factually accurate reproduction of that extended moment in time [Law and Order sound]

>be me, Miles Davis
>something is wrong
>something jus' ain't right
>i'm in the McDonalds
>tryin' to get my order right
>but the people behind me
>they're just rushin' me
>they're just rushin' me
>i say
>"git your orders in!"
>"you go on ahead"
>"git your orders in!"
>and jus' when i'm
>when i'm about to get my order right
>another one comes behind me
>and i stop
>and i give em the look
>i tell 'em "go on ahead"
>"git your order in!"
>i gotta sit back down
>i gotta think about this
>i got a booth
>got a whole booth for myself
>jus' for miles davis
>ain't no one gonna
>take my booth
>i can see the menu
>i got time
>i got all the time i need
>i figure out what i want
>i get back up
>i'm back in the line
>back in the line
>ack in the line
>ck in the line
>in the line
>th line
>line
>ine
>ine
>...
>(...)
>but i'm in the line
>lookin at the menu
>and my order changes
>my order changes
>i'm lookin' at the menu
>and they got all these
>these options
>so my order changes
>it changes
>i say:
>"no, i don't want that"
>and then i see something
>somethin' new
>and i say i gotta sit
>gotta sit back down and think about this
>so i sit back down
>they got these menu options
>five for a dollar
>menu options.
>a kid's milk.
>two for five dollars.
>but i get my order right
>i get back up
>i stand in the line
>and i'm watchin the fry girl
>i'm watchin them carry the orders
>the coffee.
>they got a window
>to do drive-thru
>drive-thru orders
>people can drive-thru
>get their orders
>get their
>-hot coffee-
>on the way to work
>and they got a guy
>flippin the burgers
>squeeze tubes.
>hot coffee.
>the girl doin the orders
>the checkout orders
>she says
>"how can i help you"
>i say i ain't ready yet
>i say i gotta sit back down and think about this
>i'm back in the booth
>i just ain't ready yet
>i gotta practice my order.
>gotta practice my order.
>two large fry.
>quarter pounder with cheese.
>now there's a guy
>in the line
>he's shoutin across the restaurant
>to his girlfriend
>i say why he gotta do that
>why he gotta do that
>go sit down and talk to your girl
>you ain't gotta shout across the restaurant
>white guy.
>white guy.
>i gotta practice my order.
>two large fry
>quarter pounder with cheese
>i get back up
>i'm standing in line
>two large fry
>quarter pounder with cheese
>and i'm up there
>in front of the people
>and they're all
>waitin' in line.
>i'm up there
>and i'm practicin' my order
>big long line
>i say
>what's with that?
>why they gotta
>stand you in line.
>big long line.
>full of people
>i ain't ready
>sit back down
>wait for the line
>die down a bit.
>two orders of fries.
>double quarter pounder with cheese.
>they got pickles
>with the cheese.
>in the McDonalds.
>get back up
>line is died down
>they got these
>they got these ropes in there
>they got these chains
>tell you where to go
>in the line
>i get back up there
>i get in the checkout line
>i get to the cashier
>i got my order
>i say i got my order ready
>she says okay
>she says go ahead
>i say..
>i say nah, i ain't ready yet
>i sit back down
>i gotta practice my order
>two large fries
>quarter pounder with cheese.
>nice day.
>bright blue day.
>sundae.
>i'm thinkin it's a sunny day
>they got sundaes
>mcdonalds sundaes
>you get your sundae
>you get it on a sunny day
>if it's rainin
>you don't order no sundae
>girl in line
>she orders a sundae
>i say
>"she got that right"
>i'm ready to order
>get back in line
>i'm thinkin
>"sundaes"
>guy walks by
>uses the bathroom
>i say i don't wanna order
>i don't wanna order when someone's usin' the bathroom
>sit back down
>gotta sit back down
>check the menu.
>they got these menu options.
>two for five dollars.
>mister five-by-five
>take yourself out tonight
>get your mcdonalds.
>they got the fries
>they got apple pie.
>they got fresh apple pie.
>with the crust.
>i say
>"apple piieee.....  ."
>no one else is orderin
>the apple pie
>they're gettin cheeseburgers
>quarter pounders
>big macs
>i get back in line
>i'm thinkin apple pie
>back in line
>girl in line
>lookin at the menu
>takin her time
>i say
>are you ready to order?
>she says
>no.
>you go on ahead
>i say i ain't ready yet
>sit back down
>takin her time.
>lookin at the menu
>i say
>you gotta order, sweetie.
>takin her time
>they got some new orders in
>they put em out
>brown paper bags
>they just waitin' there
>brown paper bags
>they got orders comin in
>you gotta pick up your food
>when they call your order
>i look around
>i see them comin
>i say
>gotta pick up your food
>when they call your order
>brown paper bags
>just sittin there
>gotta pick up your order
>when they call it.
>get back in line.
>i'm waitin in line
>the cashier girl
>she ain't ready yet
>somethin wrong
>with the machine
>she got a problem
>with the machine
>she says
>"it ain't workin right"
>sit back down
>think about my order
>they got problems with the machines here
>i say
>"they got problems with the machines"
>all these machines
>gotta think about my order
>what it means to me
>think about my order
>two large fries
>diet coke on ice
>they got these ice machines
>ice machines
>you gotta clean em out
>they don't clean em out
>i say i don't order the ice
>i tell 'em don't give me the ice
>i get a diet coke
>i say don't give me the ice
>sometimes they forget
>i say dont' give me the ice
>but sometimes you get your coke
>they put the ice in it
>i take it back
>i say don't give me the ice
>you gotta clean the machines
>they get dirty.
>they don't clean the machines here.
>the ice gets dirty.
>i say give me somethin' clean
>don't gimme the ice.
>waitin' in line.
>takin my time.
>still gotta order.
>when i'm ready
>i'll order
>takin' my time.
>waitin' in line.