The Memory Book Page #2

try your wall?

Is this a thinly veiled excuse

to flirt with me?

Oh, it must be so crowded

in your head

with an ego that size.

See, now we're talking,

light banter back and forth.

While I'm on a roll, what

are you doing Saturday night?

Dinner?

Only if it's at Vito's.

Hey. Right in front of you.

What does that say?

Right up there,

doesn't that say Vito's?

Vito's.

That's about thirty years ago,

looks like the Mission district,

right?

Around 24th.

You know it?

Yeah.

I mean, if it's the place

I'm thinking of.

Changed owners a couple

of years ago.

Still an Italian name.

Alfredo's...

Adagio.

Adoraddo's.

Adoraddo's.

I'll tell you what, I get off

in ten minutes,

I'll take you there, we can

check it out together.

Why would you wanna do that?

Well, you know,

you'll have a hard time

finding it on your own.

And, well, you've kind of

peaked my interest.

[sighs]

So what do you say?

You wanna go?

Yes.

But this is not a date.

It's not a date.

This is research.

Whatever you need

to tell yourself.

If this is the same place

and they have the old

reservation records...

From what, forty years ago?

That's kind of a long shot.

It's better than no shot

at all.

So if they have them, I might

be able to find a last name

or maybe even

a phone number.

Woah, you know it might not even

be the same owners.

Better slow down there.

Yeah, you flew through

that stop sign back there.

I almost stopped.

So how do you feel about

stop signs?

I see it.

Do you see it?

Do you?

I see it, and here we go.

What are you doing?

I get the impression that

you'd be more comfortable

behind the wheel.

Gabe, get back in the car.

Sorry, don't keep

the nice people waiting.

[Horn honking]

Are you out of your mind?

I've actually never had

an official diagnosis.

[Horn honking]

I cannot believe this.

[Horn honking]

You are crazy.

You're crazy.

I can't believe I got in the car

with you.

This is ridiculous.

Still the best Italian

in the city.

When you use your father's

recipes, Vito.

If only he hadn't kept

most of them in his head.

Hi.

Oh, hi, welcome, come on in.

I'll be right with you.

He had a gift, alright.

See you soon.

Take care, Jack.

Yeah.

Gabe, that's the booth.

Hi.

I'm Vito Marino Junior.

Owner, manager, chef,

head waiter and host.

Wow, all that.

Well, it's all I can afford.

Didn't this place used to be

called Vito's?

Yes, when my dad owned it.

And when he passed it down

to me I figured

new generation, new name.

Might have been a mistake.

Can I get you two a table?

Perhaps this romantic corner?

No, no, we're not-

Don't argue with the nice man.

You know, I'm never wrong.

It's the body language.

No, we're not here

for lunch.

Oh, well it's a restaurant,

and it is lunch.

You get my confusion?

Yes.

I'm here because I am

trying to find-

We're trying to locate these

people in the photos here.

Oh, like in a

"Where's Waldo".

No, not exactly.

You mind if I take a look?

Sure, please.

It certainly is this place.

It hasn't changed much,

has it?

Huh.

July 29th, 1971.

My dad was a master chef.

Me, not so much.

My wife did all the cooking,

God rest her soul.

I'm only telling you this

because you're not eating.

Pizza delivery is the only thing

that's keeping me in business

these days.

But lucky for you guys,

my dad was also a nut

for keeping records.

Never threw away a thing.

Wow, all these?

Every reservation,

every stock order,

every bill in one of

these boxes.

So I'm gonna leave

you guys to it.

I'm gonna go upstairs

and see if someone comes in.

It could happen.

Well, this is more than

I had hoped.

You sure you're up for this?

Yeah.

I mean, it's not exactly how

I pictured my afternoon going,

but yeah. Let's do it.

Chloe.

1971, May, June, July.

July 29th.

Birthday dinner, 8:00 pm,

cake to read

"Happy Birthday,

Sarah".

And that's all.

There's not even

a phone number.

But we know her birthday,

the month and the day.

Hey, find what you needed?

Well, no, not everything,

but something.

It was a birthday dinner.

Ah, well, people

used to come here

and celebrate a lot of things.

Now they come at all

and I celebrate.

I've been taking a look

at your book.

These two really got around.

Take a look at this fish.

Now that's a winner.

Yeah, I mean, it could be

a clue.

The park, the ranger,

everything.

I saw that, but it could be

any park in the country.

That's odd.

[Phone rings]

Gabe?

I'm closing up and I wanted

to say thanks for today.

Ok, seriously,

why'd you call.

I had a good time and I wanted

to tell you that.

That's it?

That's it.

So...

good night.

Ok, good night.

Thank you for

your help today.

Any time.

Well, it's too big for

a post office box

and too weird for a house key.

Something sentimental maybe?

Did you show this to Gabe?

Why would I do that?

It seems like you two make

a good team.

Holmes and Watson,

Batman and Robin.

Matlock and...

whoever he had.

I don't know, look.

He found the restaurant,

you couldn't,

and let's face it,

he's kinda hot.

Can we change the subject

please?

Fine.

You've got an old restaurant

and a key that doesn't

fit anything.

What next?

Taylor, I'm overlooking

the one person

who probably knows exactly

who this book belongs to.

It's so obvious!

I need a clue.

Seriously.

Sounds like...

how many syllables...

what are we talking?

What's with you

and that book?

I want to find the original

owners and return it.

Well, don't you think

if they wanted it

they might have kept it?

Maybe they lost it.

I mean, in any case it's a story

I really want to hear.

How did it end up in a discount

bin at a flea market?

A swap meet.

It's a fine line.

Can you help me or not?

I suppose I could spend

my free hours

digging through months

of receipts

and come up with something,

but it's a lot of work.

I'll do it for a hundred bucks.

A hundred?

Take it or leave it.

I do not need her help.

I'm doing just fine

on my own.

What've you got so far?

I know their first names,

I have a birth date for her.

Well I have the date that

they went out for dinner

so it has to be close.

I know that they were local

when the photos were taken.

And?

That is it.

Pay the hundred.

[Knock on the door]

So this is where

the magic happens.

Not yet, but soon.

Huh.

So what's the concept here?

Portraits, wedding photography,

that sort of thing?

Oh, that's not really

your style, is it?

It's my art studio, and I do

real estate photography

on the side.

Sales brochures,

architectural portfolios,

that sort of thing.

Yeah, that makes sense.

This must be Gabe.

Oh, you've been talking

about me?

Well, Reggie and I also had

a long discussion

about termites this morning.

Cute.

But you might change

your attitude

when you see what I found.

I went to the library

this morning.

Old school, I like it.

That fishing photo.

My dad and I used to go camping

every summer.

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