Chapter 102

Dinner was as I expected ... delicious ... fattening ... filling. Brisket, pulled pork and twice cooked hot-ish wings ... with lumpy mashed ‘taters and collared greens with white vinegar. And Dr. Pepper. The wings came with tzatziki white sauce ... unusual but ... mmmm.

The cook tried to refund me ... but I denied all. The argument included his position that he was going to have to have a license from the Texas DSHS Public Health Region 8 Sub-office. And that was medium expensive.

“Use the money for that,” I said.

“I’ll pay you back,” Cookie said.

“I won’t take it,” I said, “You can help someone who needs it out.”

And ... that created a thoughtful look and a big smile.

“What was that all about?” Steven wanted to know.

“What?”

I got the mom look.

“You really want to know?”

“Yes.”

“Ok ... we ... that’s me, Alice, Two and Elif had a party ... was supposed to be dance lessons so we could learn the ‘Time Warp.’ But ... Two put up a lurid circus style poster on the bulletin board and the University Website telling anyone who wanted to learn the dance should come out to Bud and there would be a ‘professional’ instructor ... Elif ... giving lessons.

“Two put up the poster late in the day ... and really ... what could it hurt? We thought it would be 10 or so students ... we got 200 ... or so. Rumor about MY First Date ... with you ... spread ... and ... well,” I waved my hand at the crowd. “I found out ... I asked you ... where we were going for BBQ ... and they all came.”

I looked expectantly at him. The rat made that circular motion that says ... ALL of it. Heck.

“So ... I paid the cook so he had enough food for ... fifty? Maybe ... I didn’t know ... ya know,” I stopped.

“You are an absolute maniac!” Steve hugged me. “My mom has been trying to marry me off ... to the most boring girls ... staid, stay at home, wannabe moms. And a few who already ARE moms. Church going Baptists who wouldn’t go near a ‘Rocky’ if you paid them to go.”

I hugged back ... and got my ass slapped by Elif...

“Third date ... not now,” she whispered in my ear.

I shrugged her off.

“‘Rocky’ doesn’t start for three more hours. I’m stuffed. What can we do?”

Steven said, “I need to get my ‘Rocky’ costume.”

“Is that an invitation to visit your apartment,” I said.

“No ... it’s at my parents home, I wonder if it still fits?”

Sitting in the kitchen drinking coffee with Mom and Dad, Elif, Alice, Two and I were being quizzed to within an inch of our tolerance when Riff Raff came through the kitchen door...

“It FITS!”

He looked horrid.

Steven’s mom said, “‘Rocky!’ You’re going to ‘Rocky’ and you didn’t tell us?” She ran to the kitchen door and shouted, “Benton! ‘Rocky!’ Get dressed!”

“When?”

“Midnight! At the Union.”