Ernesto « Ernie » Delgado

At 58, Ernesto has been working the kitchen at the Newton Motel longer than anyone can remember. A man of routine and quiet pride, he arrives before sunrise, lights the stove, and keeps the coffee fresh, even if no one’s ordered a cup yet. Originally from El Paso, he came looking for something new decades ago and never quite found a reason to leave. Life’s been hard on him, and his face shows it: deep lines, a crooked nose, old acne scars. But there’s warmth behind his eyes, and a strange poetry in the way he moves through his kitchen. He never says much, but if you stay long enough, he’ll remember how you take your eggs.