Rare Food
Top and bottom of the food chain and chef’s, looked at in a certain light, understand Good & Evil more than clergymen.
Previous Post: New Stranger Calls The Phone
License, registration, I ain′t got none
But I got a clear conscience 'bout the things that I done
Mister state trooper, please don't stop me
Something I can’t control: the weather.
Something I can control: what I wear and if I leave the house and today was setting up to be a nice night. The sun dropped and so did some worries and up came the moon and so did some desires. We dressed up. Looked human. She dressed up. I smelt like gravel. But I’d caught a glimpse in the mirror on the way out and had decided: upstanding citizens.
Things broke down soon after. The Good Evening had been cracked. I had been reaching for the door of the restaurant and on it was a sign. One that always made me fear being found out.
NO ANIMALS ALLOWED.
Under that: a dog and cat. Red circle surrounding them. Crossed out. Shivers streaked down a primal spine as it soon felt like nubbed fingernails were sharpening into claws and the skin on my forehead began to itch under the sensation of eyebrows growing thicker. I soon imagined being swallowed in hair with yellow eyes taking over, suspicious.
I pushed on. The waiter wore a smirk and I figured he knew something I didn’t. Like, let’s fatten him up before the roast. But again - remove this thought.
I smile at her. The black satin dress is mesmerizing. We sit until the Dish To Know is mentioned: Scallops. Seared in koji rice. The rice is toasted, seaweed is involved - A Japanesse variety - Hijiki - the race part is an assumption on my part. A tapenade, olive caper shallot and “can I say? It’s to die for.” He finishes speaking while looking at me and we lock eyes without saying much until across the table there’s a question, “what would you recommend do drink with that?”
What variety of soil, type of weather, is it rainy or humid, part of the world, are we allowed to call it champagne in America? what length of fermentation - this bottle went 10 days. This one? 11. But was it left to sit in silence in steele or oak. Which of all these possibilities really brings out the flavor of the scallops soul?
“That would be Album 1 Williamette Pinot Gris. A subtle taste of pear underneath - not too strong though - with a great knack for sending the scallop off into the afterlife where it can rest with a smile knowing it was chased down, married in unholy matrimy with the light hued Oregon juice.”
She says that sounds great and after a moments consideration, yes, yes, i’ll have that with the wine.
He nods politely and turns to me and I’m back. In the hot seat.
I’ve been sitting here in pure silence without so much as a breath because I’ve been rubbing both top and bottom teeth on each other to see if my canines have sharpened and after she ordered she looked over and caught me doing this. One eye’s eyelid dropped into itself and her head tilted as if to ask me “what are you doing?” but I handled it. Shook my head softly as if to say “don’t worry.”
I ordered the steak. “We have two separate kinds.” Whichever you think is best. “They’re both great.” I trust your judgement. What washes the steak into the afterlife? Buffalo Trace, to be so lucky. '“I’ll have those drinks right out.”
Now I’m worried there’s a conspiracy going on. My soft head nod and brush away only worked until the waiter went away because right after she leaned in as if telling a secret and said, “what’s going on with you?”
I smiled at her but not without keeping my lips pressed tight together. I couldn’t risk showing teeth without knowing the situation, the fangs. I was afraid she’d see something and mention it. Make a big fuss. Start causing a scene. Wild flairs of ‘there’s an animal in here’ while pointing at me. And she’d go on, ‘it’s not dead! it’s right here, it’s alive at my table and it’s got pointy ears and overgrown eyebrows and I know those aren’t his eyebrows because I see them every other day and always Saturday and look at the eyes that fur is hiding! oh my God! the yellows!”
