Chapter 2

Just a random short story that popped into my mind ... Enjoy!

A Rather Revealing Dinner

It had been a day. Not the worst, not the most exhausting, not the best, nor the most productive. Just a day, for some reason when I got home that evening I felt emotionally and physically numb. I had gone to the market and picked up some items for dinner as it was the start of my weekend and I was hoping that maybe I could at least improve my numb melancholy. I would have steak, I love my red meat. That meant then I would be swinging by my favorite butcher shop too, with luck he’d have some marrow for me as well. Okay, so if I am having steak then I’d better get an onion, some asparagus, a pre-mixed hollandaise packet, and some sweet potatoes. Did I still have any red wine left? Wait, what if I changed my mind and wanted an amber? It had been a while since I had my favorite amber. I’d better get both just in case. Oh, and fresh garlic, I was starting to actually feel again at the prospect of a delicious meal to kick off the weekend.

It didn’t take me long to get what I needed and get back to the run-down apartments. A few kids were running stark-naked in the road, someone had hit the hydrant again and it was still sweltering out even though the sun was making its way down. The sound of their laughter brought a smile to my face, oh to be young again and not worry about the stupidities of adulthood. I made my way to my floor and did my best to avoid any of my neighbors as many of them were either coming home from work, or getting ready to hit the town. Finally, my door, a welcome sight.

I didn’t notice anything out of the ordinary, why would I think anything would be amiss? This was my sanctuary and nothing out of the ordinary happened unless the neighbor kid came over to escape his abusive parents. Not physically abusive, more emotionally and mentally abusive, harder to prove that to protective services. So, I was home, I set my groceries on the counter and excitedly explained to myself in the ‘safety’ of my own space “Fuck yeah! Steaks on the menu tonight bitch!” my little celebration and burst in positivity faded quickly as I heard a muffled sound coming from my washroom. “What the fuck this ti-” The words caught in my throat as I opened the door and saw two men standing over my hog tied ex. My first thought, ‘Why the hell is he here?’ my second thought? I didn’t have one before asking “How do you fine gents take your steak?”

The two exchanged a quick glance, just as confused about my lack of fear as my ex seemed to be confused as to why I wasn’t running away in fear to go get help ... at least that is what I imagine as I look back on the situation. The taller of the two responded first, “Steak?” I felt a need to clarify the new dynamic of this situation to the men, “Yes, steak, you’re in my apartment therefore you are now my guests, that man you have tied is not a guest. He’s an ex and did not have permission to be here, so whatever the hell you’re doing to him I will consider it a service to me. Now then, I was planning on having a steak tonight, so, how do you take your steak?” The other now replied, “Well done!”

To which his taller partner smacked him upside the head and glared, “What? She’s offering steak, you know I would never turn down steak.” He rubbed his head as he spoke, the taller one was going to say something but I quickly interjected, “Ew, no, that’s shoe leather. Try again, I will not ruin a good steak with ‘well done’.” The two looked at me again, taken aback by my rebuke I think. “We are not staying for steak, get a rope and tie her up.” The taller one said. “Poppycock! I’ll be damned if I’m a bad hostess. You can do whatever you damn well please, but only after we’ve had a decent meal.” I said indignantly. I was not going to take no for an answer. It had been a while since I’ve had company, and these two seemed like interesting folk, scary as fuck and I needed to make a better escape plan, but still interesting.

The taller, a well built blonde, was actually quite attractive. I tend to orbit towards blondes despite fantasizing about the ideal of the ‘tall dark’ type. The other, more slender and only shorter by a few inches with somewhat shaggy black hair covering an eye (I later found out he did that because it was a glass eye he had recently received and was still a bit self-conscious about it), started up again, “C’mon, she’s insistent. We can’t be rude guests now. Besides you’re good with this guy for now, I’ll keep an eye on her.” He had a pleading tone that made me think of a child asking for a lolli-pop. The taller one growled but relented, “Fine, but if anything goes south we shoot them both and make a quick break. You know how I like to take my time, so make sure nothing goes south.” To this the shorter one pumped his fist and we both went to the kitchen. He leaned against the wall and kept a close eye on me.

“So, how do you want your steak?” I asked as I prepared the ingredients. “Oh, right I need his order too.” I quickly added. The shorter guy had a boyish grin as he watched me moving about, it was actually kinda cute. “Huh? Oh, well since you refuse to make it right I guess I’ll go with medium well,” I rolled my eyes and he continued, “He’ll probably take his medium rare.” the man chucked a thumb behind himself, meant to refer to his partner. “‘K, I can do that.” I said as I continued working in the kitchen, “And to drink? I picked a dark red wine to pair with it myself, but I also have some Amber’s, milk, coffee, water...” I looked at the man from over my shoulder and waited for his answer. He mulled it over and yelled back to his partner first, “Yo Mike, what you want to drink?”

“Don’t use my name you idiot!”

“You plan on kill’n them anyway so what’s the problem?”

“I’ll fucking kill you too dumbass.”

“Drink?”

There was a pause in the exchange.

“Hello, drink?”

“What’s available?”

“Dark red, Amber, milk, and water.”

Another pause.

“Red.”

Shorty looked back at me, “I guess we’re all having wine then.” It was around that time I was thinking, ‘Mushrooms would have been a fantastic pairing!’ “Bueno, wine it is.”

It didn’t take me too long to get everything together, the man watching me was good about not distracting me with conversation, I guess he was content just watching me work.

Finally, dinner was just about ready, I only needed to plate it. So, I took shorty by the hand and led him to take a seat at the table. “Wait.” I said to him and then made my way to the washroom to fetch ‘stretch’. I felt bad I hadn’t asked for their names, I would at the table. “Dinner time my good sir.” I said as I popped my head into the door frame. My ex was struggling, grunting and muffled through the gag, and mostly stripped of his attire. I looked at him with all the disdain I had for him. We broke up because he was a cheating abusive piece of trash that stole my paycheck on more than one occasion to fuel his drug habit before becoming a peddler himself. “Don’t you start, for the life of me, you should still be behind bars you piece of shit.” I hissed. I had little empathy for him. Tall blond and moody glared at me, then at my ex “You do anything and by the time I’m done with you you’ll be begging for death.” He warned. I’ll admit, that sent a chill up my apathetic ass too.

Finally seated, I poured the wine and placed the plates before my guests and my own seat. It looked wonderful. Steak, and asparagus with hollandaise and a side of caramelised vidalia onions. I outdid myself with this. The presentation, the smell, it was perfect. Now for the taste ... The two men went to cut up their steak when the tall one stared at me. I paid him no mind as I cut my own steak. The shorter one cleared his throat and also looked my way, “Hey, you forget to cook your own food?” He asked. I looked down at my steak and then to the men and smiled. “Gentlemen.” I began, “A steak like this, choice a cut of red meat, should be enjoyed in full flavor, raw, and fresh. In this way it is most delicious to me, easy to cut, easy to chew and savor, and easy to digest. I have a trusted butcher so I don’t worry about it being raw.” I took a pause to chew a bite and continued, “You see, I believe food should be an experience. It should be savored, and enjoyed. Food holds such an important role in our lives. We celebrate with feasts, we mourn with feasts, we comfort ourselves with food, and obviously it is a source of energy and substance.” I paused again for another bite, at this point I had the full attention of the two, “Food can transcend this though. As it should. Like I said, it should be an experience. It is as sensual as it is paramount to humanity.”